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CAPE FUE SEAL. 

 Otaria pusilla. 



The Cape of Good Hope Fur Seal inhabits the small 

 islands round the Cape of Good Hope, and is also 

 found in some rocky islands some forty miles from 

 Port Elizabeth. It probably once inhabited Tristan 

 d'Acunha, and Inaccessible Island. 



This Seal is fairly abundant, but the fur, except in 

 the young animals, is short and poor, and consequently 

 of low value, only exceeding the Lima skins in price. 

 Many skins have no fur on the flank, and only a small 

 quantity on the back. Sometimes this^ is wholly 

 wanting, and they are then called Hair Seals. The 

 skins are as a rule indifferently cured, and the price 

 varies from 4s. and 8s. to 30s. or more, according to 

 demand. Several thousand skins are imported annually, 

 and they are usually sold in London in November and 

 January. The skins of the bulls are only fit for leather. 



The colour of this animal is very light brown, with a 

 grey shade on the back; the under fur is brown. The 

 females have brown sides and belly, and the younger 

 animals are of a more silvery colour, with a white hue 

 on the head, and have under fur of a better quality, 

 although it is sometimes white. The whiskers are 

 black. 



Many of these pups are used unhaired, or are washed 

 and exported to Eussia. 



In captivity these Seals have been known to live to 

 the age of fifteen years. It is advisable to feed the 

 animals at short intervals, except perhaps in the breed- 

 ing season. 



