FUR-BEARING MAMMALS 



305 



Species gives rise. As elsewhere briefly described (vol. iii, p. 492), 

 large numbers of the fur-seals repair to these islands during the 

 summer for the purpose of bringing up their young. It is the 

 young "bachelor" males, or " holluschickie ", that are not strong 

 enough to secure establishments, which are slaughtered for the 

 sake of their skins. These are carefully driven to inland "killing 

 grounds ", knocked on the head, and flayed as quickly as possible. 

 Very full details of the industry are given by H. W. Elliot in his 

 well-known book An Arctic Province, from which the following 

 extract is taken: — "The common or popular notion in regard to 

 seal-skins is, that they are worn by those animals just as they 

 appear when offered for sale; that the fur-seal swims about, 

 exposing the same soft coat 

 with which our ladies of 

 fashion so delight to cover 

 their tender forms during 

 inclement winter. This is 

 a very great mistake; few 

 skins are less attractive 

 than a seal-skin is when it 

 is taken from the creature. 

 The fur is not visible; it 

 is concealed entirely by a 

 coat of stiff over-hair, dull, gray-brown, and grizzled. It takes 

 three of them to make a lady's sack and boa; and in order 

 that a reason for their costliness may be apparent, I take great 

 pleasure in submitting a description of the tedious and skilful 

 labour necessary to their dressing by the furriers ere they are 

 fit for use. A leading manufacturer writing to me says: 'When 

 the skins are received by us in the salt, we wash off the salt, 

 placing them upon a beam somewhat like a tanner's beam, 

 removing the fat from the flesh side with a beaming-knife, care 

 beino- required that no cuts or uneven places are made in the 

 pelt. The skins are next washed in water and placed upon the 

 beam with the fur up, and the grease and water removed by the 

 knife. The skins are then dried by moderate heat, being tacked 

 out on frames to keep them smooth. After being fully dried, they 

 are soaked in water and thoroughly cleansed with soap and water. 

 In some cases they can be unhaired without this drying process 

 and cleansed before drying. After the cleansing process they pass 



Fig. 1222. —Northern Fur-Seals 



