The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
MASsACHusErTS's SELL BoUyTr.
The Bay state Gives s. N Head FOR Killing
the Fish Eating Hair seals.
from thc Boston Ercnfng Transcript.

from thc Boston Et~ning Transcript.
TO a good many persons who live inland. and
have nothing which brings them TO the coast
much, IL would be- IA surprise 10 learn that there
ARE any seals along the coasts OF Massachusetts,.
and especially that they are sufficiently numcr-
Gus and destructive 10 have made 1t advisable
TO p.lcc II bounty ON them in order that their
number may be kept down. To tho ordinary
dwcllcr IN tho inland districts the seal is an ami.
nal connected in "A vague way with frozen
climcs and international arbitration. These are
the fur seals, which provide such OF the seal
skin sRcqucs as are not made in the plush facto-
rics, but the seals Of the New England coasts are
crcaturcs Of an entirely different stamp. Their
skins are heavy and tough. and are of no use for
making sacqucs. unless they are, mail sacks,
and they arct such useless and unpleasant
animals that no one would 20 TO the trouble
OF. killing them II IL were not for the bounty
which, has been placed On their heads by the
officials. This bounty is - a head. and II is
paid because there arc so many of the seals. and
they have such nm Unsuitable appetite for fish
that. II they were allowed to Increase and
i%ll,ltiply. md train mp their children TO eat fish.
they would, have u disastrous effect ON The shore
fisheries, II has been proved by experiments
that ~ seal with u normal appetite win eat from
twenty 10 twenty-five pounds OF fish a dIy. and
u very large number Of seals to produce IA fish
famine "f no small proportions.
Last year the County commissioners OF EsscN
county alone paid hognties aggreeatins $3.50
Tor seals, which would mean THAI $50 were
killed as tho bounty is ~ a head. This, Il. is
probable, does not represent more than half Of
those actually destroyed as only about half arc
recovered. for the reason that, unless killed at
water when shot. and sink to the bottom when
they are dead. 1t Is, probable that. there are
NJ least, and these, figuring twenty-five pounds
OF iisll II lay for each seal. would use up a.l25.-
600 pounds Of fish in the year. or enough to
supply l75.Ooo persons with four fishballs every
Sunday through the entire year. This only
represents a small pnrt of the fish which would
1H. a.FA - ~ tNHI VA. fla III IA En.Il - a. L. zaa1-. la slA
course OF tho year, as they are thick MI along
IN" south shore until tho sand begins NJ the
any cNicnt where the shore is sandy they prefer
the rocks,
These seals ARE what are known rs dog seals.
ana are entirely different, in outward appear
nncc from the fur seals OF the North. Their skin
IL smooth and l%eathcry. a good deal like that Of
4; porpoi,c, only tougher. In their general shape.
however. they are Il good deal like their North.
trh 'uh%cirrS, having the same round head and
large, soulful eyes, which make IL n. matter Of
considerable" difficulty for II cndcr-hcartcd
person 20 shoot one, even for 81, There is no
rCCiiD" method OF killing the seals, and II is
o!lE HpurtsInen, Who ARE out for some other
reason than he dciiheraiI daughter o, seals for
done in The spring, when the seals are %rutting.
aud come out on the rocks IN large numbers.
Even then; however, II i not at all an easy
matter 80, hill iacn'. ~ they are very shy, and
lnicT" killch n the first shot viii wrigglo OIL
!ntu thc water aud die there. sinking to the
bottom. The only lime ~ which there WINS any
organized tc.ulns expedition was several years
ago, when about twenty seals got up into a
river back Of Plum Island. near Ncwburypori.
seine across ne, mouth Of The river, and AT low,
tide Went nnG Killed. all the seals With clubs.
value, There j. T. EooA deal OF oil in them, as.
on account Of their UNRESTRICTED Indulgence IN
worth something for leather. The bounty was
originated in lNNs, When, II was placed, at 81 n
hcHu; Int, rs il was found thar tie seals We're
Increasing in number. Il WAS raised to 50. which
- lAu .l.ln ~ present paid.