J 
482 
y. 
SEALS AND THE SEAL FISHERY. 
Bv Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S. 
Read igth December, 1882. 
An apology is needed for offering to a Natural History Society 
a paper wliicli may appear but too mucli like tlio history of a 
commercial industry, and which may he considered by some as 
altogether foreign to the scope of a local society. I trust, however, 
that a somewhat liberal reading of the fourth article of the funda- 
mental objects of our Society may be allowed in this case; for most 
assm'edly the creatures of Avhich I shall have to speak are in 
great danger of extermination, and have already so diminished in 
numbers, at least in one of their chief resorts, as to render their 
history almost that of an expiring race ; and it is, unfortunately, 
the commercial value of the northern Seals which has brought 
about this danger ; in speaking, therefore, of their decrease it 
is most desirable to give prominence to the cause wdiich, it is to bo 
feared, is rapidly bringing about the effect of their extermination. 
It must also be remembered, that for the successful pursuit of 
these creatures an intimate acquaintance -with their habits and 
distribution is absolutely necessary, and that as the most successful 
sealer is he vdio has best learned this lesson, it is impo.ssible 
to study the mode adopted for their capture, without at the same 
time obtaining an insight into their life history. From tire 
disastrous effects of the indiscriminate slaughter of the breeding 
Seals a very instructive lesson may be learned by the Naturalist, 
as well as by the professional sealer, and although it seems too 
nruch to hope that it may be productive of good in the future, it 
still seems desirable, if only by way of warning, to place on record 
the abuses which eventually led to protective legislation, alas ! too 
long delayed. 
Kindly assisted by my friends Captain David Cray of Feterhead 
and hlr. David Bruce of Dundee, I have for some years watched 
tlie results of the .sealing voyages, and will endeavour to give some 
