TABLE 21, — Counts of dead pups on Polovina Flats and Little Polovina 

 before and after tagging, St. Paul Island, 1962 



Total 



1,821 



46 



89 



135 



Little Polovina 



■"- Expected number of dead tagged pups was calculated from the tag ratio 

 from first fall pup sampling. 



tagging, but the counts before and after tagging 

 did not show this to be true. The major por- 

 tion of pup mortality had occurred prior to the 

 first clearing of the rookeries on 8 and 9 August. 

 Mortality decreased from the first count in 

 early August until mid-September when the 

 total counts were low; there were no changes 

 that were clearly a result of the tagging oper- 

 ation. 



Additional observations support the quanti- 

 tative data presented in table 21. While clear- 

 ing the rookeries the first week after tagging, 

 the dead tagged pups observed generally were 

 plump. An emaciated animal was exceptional, 

 whereas nearly all the dead untagged pups were 

 emaciated. After the first week it was ob- 

 served that nearly all the dead pups were 

 emaciated. These observations are interpreted 

 to mean that tagging has an immediate affect 

 on pups, causing mortality to a small pef^ 



centage of them. Of the total number of tagged 

 pups on Little Polovina rookery, approximately 

 3 percent were found dead during the study. 

 A similar estimate could not be made for 

 Polovina Flats. 



Quality of checkmarks . — The veining chisels 

 formerly used for making the "V " notch check- 

 marks were replaced in 1962 with veterinary 

 ear-notching instruments. The ear-notching 

 instruments produced a satisfactory check- 

 mark as illustrated in figure 11. Observations 

 during tagging indicated that uniformity of 

 marks was achieved. Checkmarks made with 

 the veining chisels varied considerably in 

 position, in appearance, and in depth (figs. 12 

 and 13). Use of either tool requires that the 

 mark be made at the distal end of the 

 first digit to avoid cutting into the phal- 

 anges. 



31 



