404 
was a very poor season, the average being only from twelve to 
thirteen hundred i)cr ship. 
“ In 1880, the whole of the ships were ready to begin on the 
opening day, and there certainly was a much better appearance of 
Seals than there had been for some years, for whioli I give the 
close-time credit, by allowing more of the female Seals to get away. 
The ships averaged two thousand seven hundred. 
“ I'his year (1881) it is very difficult to tell what tlie result 
might have been had the weather been good. The ice was driven 
out to sea with heavy northerly gales, which washed the young 
Seals off the ice, and when the old Seals brought their young ones 
back again they were so much scattered that it was hardly possible 
to glean them up. Three thousand fell to my share. 
“ I am now quite certain that the close-time for the Seals is 
doing a great amount of good, although many years must elapse 
ere they recover the unfair, cruel, and short-sighted way in whicli 
they have been hunted down.”* 
It is very satisfactory to find that at least some benefit has 
arisen from the elose-tiine ; but it is thought, by many persons of 
experience, that the fishery still opens two or three days too early. 
On the other hand, there arc those who think that it might 
commence earlier still with advantage. It is to be hoped, however, 
that the happy medium has been fixed upon. By commencing too 
early the young are comparatively valueless (every hour makes a 
surprising change for the better in their condition) : tlie old 
females also, from their unwillingness to quit the young ones, fall 
victims at a time Avhen they are in iioor condition from nursing. 
It would seem, therefore, that the date for commencing should be 
so fixed, as to insure the young ones being in the most profitable 
condition, and that the old females may escape to renew the brood 
the next season. 
• Since tlie above was written, another season has passed (1SS2), not less 
remarkable for bad weather than the preceding one. Some of the vessels 
missed the Seals altogether ; two took resjiectively 468 and 102 only ; and 
the remaining six vessels secured amongst them 21,572, or an average of 
3,595 Seals each. It is impossible to say what they might have done under 
more favourable circumstances ; and the past two seasons can hardly be 
taken as tests of the operation of the close-time. 
