33 G THE FUE SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



The principal objection, which is in no sense fatal, to the present method of brand- 

 ing by the hot irons lies in the smallness of the animal and the weight of the iron. It 

 is difficult to control the depth of the burning and the long handle (nearly 4 feet) 

 removes the work too far from the eye to make it possible to see clearly what is being 

 done. It would be better to use a small iron with a short handle, which would bring 

 it under the direct control of the muscle and sight of the operator. The heavy irons 

 now used are adapted more to the branding of cattle than to the branding of a small 

 animal like the fur-seal pup. 



The advantages of the electrical cautery are that it brings the work closely under 

 the control of the operator; it requires no weight or pressure; it does not necessitate 

 the burning down through the thick, oily fur. The wire cuts through the fur at the 

 surface of the skin like a razor. The platinum being kept at a uniform and much 

 higher temperature, the scar can be made more quickly and practically without pain. 



APr'KNDTX II. 



EXPERIMENTS IN BRANDING AND HERDING SEALS ON ST. PAUL, 1897. 



By .Joseph Mufjray. 



In accordance with instructions from Dr. David S. Jordan, under date of August 8, 

 I submit the following brief report on the results of the experiments in herding and 

 branding tlie seals: 



HEBDINCr IN THK LAGOON. 



The fence about the lagoon was completed in due time by the young men assist- 

 ants left for this purpose ami to help in the branding. On September I the seals were 

 driven from the hauling grounds of Keef, Kitovi, Lukanin, Tolstoi, and Middle Hill 

 and kept within the inclosure under close watch until September 7, when the fence 

 was opened and they were allowed to return to the sea and to their respective hauling 

 grounds, which they did by degrees during the following week, many of the animals 

 showing no particular haste in abandoning the inclosuie. 



At first the seals gave evidence of feeling the restraint put upon them. They 

 patrolled the inside of the fence until they established a beaten path. A few climbed 

 over and others found holes under the fence through which they crawled. After a 

 day or two, however, the novelty wore off' and no further attention was paid to the 

 fence. The closest observation during the time of their captivity failed to discover 

 anything in their actions or movements that indicated uneasiness or suffering of any 

 sort. 



The experiment of holding the seals in the lagoon by means of a fence may 

 therefore be considered entirely successful. I never doubted its practicability, and 

 the test has removed all possible doubt. I strongly favor the fencing of every 

 important body of water on the islands, whi(;h can be conveniently used for the 



