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1 5 Jan., 1965 This morning we went seal tagging, 
trying out a new method that Dennis thought up - usin& 
the canvas weighing sling to throw over the seals. This 
works out well, one end having been unchained to more 
readily accomodate the seals and facilitate my putting 
on the tag of the flailing tail. Jim Pries, who is 
here, and Dennis sneak up on the seal and throw the 
paraphanalia over the seal. If they catch it asleep, 
the beast is pinned by the ever-loving Dennis (who 
kisses it) and the heavy Jim. Before it knows what is 
happening I have grabbed the tail, attached the clip, 
and the seal is then released. There are sveral ad- 
vantages to this method over the old wild west lassoing 
method: 1) the seal is more quickly captured. 
2) the tail is more easily held, as most of the 
body is pinned down. 
3) the seal cannot bite through the canvas, the 
old method allowed the seal to toss about with 
resultant danger to the tagger 
4) the tagged seal does not see the taggers often^ 
and many remain in the area after being 
tagged. 
5) the proeess is less hard on the seal - no 
constricting or choking ropes around its neck. 
Seals in the area are less disturbed, as we 
all lje down on top of the seal, and other 
seals cannot see the captured seal - the 
sight of a lassoed seal often sent dearby 
ones scurrying. - we tagged 4, in 15 min., 
all within 3 5* of one-another, 
7) it is easier to release the seal, just get 
up and the seal kicks off the canvas - no 
struggling to untie the confussion of knots 
and nooses around its neck. 
Result of the new method - 20 seals tagged in 5 minutes 
over two hours - the old record was 16 for one dayj 
This AM Anderson gave us a Bonin he found dead - Jim 
wanted skinning practice, so he skinned and, with help 
from Dennis, put up the skin. It looks great. We 
did paperwork in the rainy afternoon, I got in some 
Booby research - the wind, rain, and cold have resulted 
in early sleeping by the boobies - many were asleep 
at sunset. R2 and R22 are together again - 04 is 
literally left out in the cold. 
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