HERDING SEALS. 329 



rookeries of that island. The details of the work of branding for the season of 1897 

 will be found in the reports of Agents Murray and Judge, appended herewith 

 (Appendix I, II). 



As a result of the experiments of 1896 it was suggested that an electrical cautery 

 might be used instead of the red-hot iron as an instrument of branding. With this 

 end in view experiments were conducted by Mr. Elmer E. Farmer in the laboratory of 

 electrical engineering in Stanford University. The necessary apparatus was con- 

 structed and taken to the islands. In the report of Mr. Farmer, also appended 

 herewith (Ai)pendix I), will be found a detailed account of the matter. 



The apparatus for electrical branding was not landed at the islands before our 

 departure. As a result we did not have an opportunity to test its working in person. 

 The actual conditions were so different from the experimental conditions that the 

 apparatus i)roved in some respects inadequate. Its use was therefore confined to 

 experiments. The actual work of branding was done by Colonel Murray by means of 

 the simpler and already tested irons. 



It will be seen from Mr. Farmer's account of the experiments with the electrical 

 cautery that the practicability of this principle with improved and perfected apjiaratus 

 is proved. This answers our i)resent purpose. If branding as a business becomes 

 necessary it will be a comparatively simple matter to develop the principle of electrical 

 branding and make it work. The advantages of the white-hot cautery wire over the 

 clumsy red-hot iron are too obvious to need comment. 



It is to be hoped that branding as a means of protecting the fur-seal herd will not 

 be necessary. It must be said, however, that the plan is entirely feasible. The task 

 involves some labor and expense, but no insurmountable obstacle. As Colonel Mur- 

 ray puts it: "With an assistant and a duplicate set of forges and men, 5,000 pups a 

 day could be easily branded, or in twenty working days 100,000 pups." This is about 

 double the number of female pups on the islands at i^resent, so the work could be 

 done in ten days ; or one brander with the force of men now on the islands could do 

 the work in twenty days, and the period in which branding can be done will admit of 

 fully this time. To brand all these female pups for five years in succession would ' 

 settle the fate of pelagic sealing. 



HERDING. 



No attem])t was made in the experiments in herding to carry out Mr. True's idea 

 of driving back and holding all classes of- animals. Whether this could be done in 

 any event seems to us extremely doubtful. It ought not to be tried, we think, because 

 it is probable that such a course would result in the death of most of the pups and the 

 complete demoralization of rookery life. 



On the contrary, we accepted the plan of herding as forming merely a complement 

 to the plan of branding. The latter plan was designed to protect the female portion 

 of the herd. Herding can in a similar manner protect the young males. At the close of 

 the killing season in July, if such of the bachelors as are left can be herded up during 

 the month of August, or even longer, they can be kept out of the way of the pelagic 

 sealer. 



During the season of 1896 the practicability of this plan was tested by driving up 

 and retaining in the salt lagoon on St. Paul Island about 3,000 bachelors and half 

 bulls under guard of a force of natives. No difficulty seemed to be encountered, and 



