History Of North American Pinnipeds

Author : Joel Asaph Allen
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781331900641
Total Pages : 806 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (6 download)

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Download or read book History of North American Pinnipeds written by Joel Asaph Allen and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-20 with total page 806 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from History of North American Pinnipeds: A Monograph of the Walruses, Sea-Lions, Sea-Bears and Seals of North America For the biographical part, to which much space has been allotted, matter has been freely gathered from all available sources. In addition to the results here first published, the work may be considered as a compendium of our present knowledge of the subject. In regard to the need if a work like the present, it may be stated that with the exception of Dr. Theodore Gill's important "Prodrome" of a proposed monograph of North American Pinnipeds, published in 1866, there has been no general treatment of the species since the excellent compilations of Drs. Harlan and Godman appeared, now more than half a century ago. Respecting foreign works, nothing has been recently published covering the ground here taken beyond a very general synopsis of the technical phases of the subject. The best accounts of the species occurring along the shores of Europe are in other languages than English, while no general history of the economic relations of the subject exists. In relation to the important Fur Seal Fisheries of Alaska, the author has been able to present in extenso the results of Captain Charles Bryant's long experience at the Fur Seal Islands, where for nearly ten years he was the government agent in charge of the islands. Although not received until the article on this species had been transmitted to the printer, it proves to be, to only a small degree, a repetition of the account given by Mr. Elliott, also reproduced at length. The history Captain Bryant gives of the changes in the numbers and relations of the different classes of these animals at the rookeries, under the present system of management of the Fur Seal business, forms a valuable basis for generalization in regard to the future regulation of this industry, and is also an important contribution to the life-history of the species. The cuts, some thirty in number, illustrating the cranial characters of the Walruses, were drawn for the present work by Mr. J. H. Blake, of Cambridge, and engraved by Messrs. Russell and Richardson, of Boston. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.