44 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Harps that were got were in the western locality, those frequent- 

 ing the eastern ice, once more, so far as Mr. Thorburn could 

 learn, never having been seen. The same state of things pre- 

 vailed with regard to the ice frequented by the Hoods, and with 

 a like result. 



The Newfoundland winter proved very severe, but after the 

 latter end of January the weather moderated, and a fine spring 

 followed. As there was very little drift-ice off the coast, a 

 favourable sealing year was anticipated, and, so far as the early 

 finding of the Seals was concerned, this was fully realized ; but, 

 although killing commenced on the same day as last year, the 

 young Seals were very much inferior in weight, averaging some- 

 thing like 35 lb. in fat and pelt against 50 lb. in the previous 

 season. Mr. Thorburn, with his usual kindness, has been at 

 some trouble to ascertain, if possible, the true cause of this 

 falling off in weight, and he tells me that, in the opinion of several 

 of the most experienced captains, it is mainly due to the fact that 

 for some reason the Seals whelped some days later this year than 

 last ; for instance, the people living in Belvoir Bay reported to 

 Capt. Blandford that the old Seals did not go off from there so 

 soon as usual in search of the whelping ice, which he considers 

 sufficient evidence that they reproduced later than last year. 

 Under favourable conditions the young Seals increase in weight 

 from two to four pounds daily ; this rate of increase is not mere 

 conjecture, but has been proved by experiment. It is, however, 

 believed by many that mild weather retards their growth ; this 

 has not been so fully established, but it is known that much rain 

 causes them to leave the ice, and take to the water considerably 

 earlier than they otherwise would. Another reason for the reduced 

 average in weight is that the killing was all over in a very short 

 period, leaving no time for the young ones to increase in weight, 

 in which respect even a few days, as has been explained, would 

 make a considerable difference. This is further borne out by 

 the facts that those steamers which struck the Seals on the shore 

 side of the whelping ice — that is to say, the south-west pack — 

 (as is usually the case), secured heavier results than those fishing 

 on the outside or north-east ice, owing to the Seals whelping in 

 the former locality somewhat earlier than the latter. 



A much larger number of old and young Hooded Seals were 



