THE OOLOGiST 



239 



Just a few more, same Islands 



from two to three times the size of 

 the ordinary hen's egg. 



The contractors state that about 

 400,000 more could be collected per 

 annum if a market could be found for 

 them. The export price charged by 

 the contractors is $2.43 to $2.67 per 

 hundred, and they are willing to ship 

 a small sample lot to any produce 

 merchant in the United States, who 

 will pay the transportation charges in 

 order to test them in the American 

 market. The season for collecting 

 the eggs is from January to June. 



During the year 1909, seal skins to 

 the number of 3,362 were taken from 

 the islands, and the average price re- 

 ceived in London, England, was $5.16 

 each. Very few licenses are now is- 

 sued to private persons by the Gov- 

 ernment — last year only four — and the 

 sealing industry was carried on by 

 the Department of Agriculture. A 

 license of $24.33 for a boat of 20 tons 



or under and $121.66 for boats over 

 20 tons, is charged private seal fisher- 

 men per annum, and in addition a 

 royalty of 24 cents each on skin se- 

 cured. In the past, some very profit- 

 able sealing has been done, but lat- 

 terly the seals have been too scarce to 

 make the industry profitable for pri- 

 vate individuals to risk paying the li- 

 cense and fitting out craft for sealing. 

 The number of seals, known as Arcto- 

 cephalus Pusillus, is now increasing 

 and under strict Government protec- 

 tion the industry will doubtless thrive. 

 1159 seal skins were taken by private 

 individuals during the year 1909 un- 

 der licenses issued by the Govern- 

 ment, and $291.75 was paid on these to 

 the Government as royalty. 



The amount of seal oil procured 

 during 1909 was 1,550 gallons, which 

 was disposed of at 61 cents per gallon. 

 This product has not brought as high 

 prices since whaling syndicates have 



