THE ZOOLOGIST 



THIRD SERIES, 



Vol. XIV.] MAECH, 1890. [No. J 59. 



NOTES ON THE SEAL AND WHALE FISHERY OF 1889. 

 By Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S. 



The last three years have shown a progressive improvement 

 in the Newfoundland Sealing, so far as the numbers taken by the 

 British vessels is concerned. The year 1887 produced 177,733; 

 1888, 210,810; and the past season of 1889 has resulted in the 

 capture of 303,287 of these animals ; but the price of produce, 

 I believe, has declined somewhat, so as to render the catch 

 less valuable than would otherwise have been the case. This 

 important branch of the industry of our oldest colony, however, 

 has certainly proved more remunerative than has been the case 

 for some years past. The distribution of the Seals amongst the 

 vessels engaged has also been more equal, therefore even those 

 ships which have not made a paying voyage have suffered less loss 

 than is sometimes the case. 



There were, last season, nineteen British vessels present, 

 all of which secured more or less Seals, only three returning with 

 fewer than 8000, seven between 8000 and 15,000, whilst nine had 

 more than 15,000 each, viz.:— the ' Banger,' 34,373; 'Wolf,' 

 31,473; 'Neptune,' 28,103; ' Terra Nova,' 25,734 ; 'Vanguard,' 

 21,000; 'Falcon,' 22,425; 'Esquimaux,' 20,036; 'Polynia,' 

 19,350; and the 'Iceland,' 16,000— an average of 24,277. No 

 such great catch as that of the 'Neptune' in 1888 (42,242), has 

 fallen to the lot of a single vessel ; but it will be noticed that the 

 cargoes were much more even, and that, as previously mentioned, 



ZOOLOGIST. — MARCH, 1890. II 



