NEW ZEALAND HAIR SEAL. 207 



Seal in the warm season is light brown or yellow, with 

 slightly darker hairs on the back. The bulls have a 

 crest of long white hair. The young appears to be 

 brown or dark brown. The skin is thin, and almost 

 valueless, except for leather. It is, as a rule, devoid of 

 fur, when imported, but sometimes there is a scant 

 covering. One-half of the skins of a shipment are 

 sometimes worth 40s. to 50s., while the other half fetch 

 only 4s. to 6s. The majority of the skins are washed 

 for use in Eussia, but if taken in the proper season, it is 

 very probable that the greater part might be used for 

 fur purposes. 



Flinders writes, page cxxviii, that on the north-east 

 point of Clarke's Island, " these rocks were also 

 frequented by Hair Seals, and some of them (the old 

 males) were of enormous size, and of extraordinary 

 power. I levelled my gun at one, which was sitting on 

 the top of a rock with his nose extended towards the 

 sun, and struck him with three musket-balls. He 

 rolled over and plunged into the water ; but in less than 

 half an hour had taken his former station and attitude. 

 On firing again, a stream of blood spouted forth from 

 his breast to some yards' distance, and he fell back, 

 senseless. On examination, the six balls were found 

 lodged in his breast ; and one, which occasioned his 

 death, had pierced the heart ; his weight was equal to 

 that of a common ox." At Floe Hummock Island Mr. 

 Eoss landed. " The Seals were of the usual size, and 

 bore a reddish fur, much inferior in quality to that of 

 the Seals of Furneaux Islands." 



(Page 91) : In speaking of Eecherches Archipelago, 

 .South coast of Australia, a.d. 1802, he relates : — 

 " All the islands seemed to be more or less frequented 

 by Seals ; but I think not in number sufficient to make 



