BUREAU OF FISHERIES XXIX 



MARKING RESERVED SEALS 



The number of 3-year-old male seals marked in 1927 for the 

 breeding reserve was 9,090, of which 6,847 were on St. Paul Island 

 and 2,243 on St. George Island. With the exception of 200 seals 

 that were branded with a hot iron on St. Paul Island, all Avere 

 marked by shearing a patch of fur. 



SALE or SEALSKINS 



On October 3, 1927, at public auction at St. Louis, Mo., 7,280 black- 

 dyed and 3,053 logwood brown-dyed skins were sold at a gross price 

 of $336,529. At the same time 123 black-dyed and 9 raw-salted 

 Japanese fur-seal skins sold for $2,881.50. These 132 skins were the 

 United States Government's share of sealskins taken by the Japanese 

 Government in 1926. In addition, 1 confiscated fur-soal skin, dyed 

 black, was sold for $26.50, and 2 confiscated sea-otter skins were sold 

 for $92. 



At a second sale, held on May 14, 1928, 5,995 black-dyed and 2,987 

 logwood brown-dyed skins Avere sold for $381,572, as well as 3 con- 

 fiscated sealskins (of which 2 were dyed black and 1 was dressed in 

 hair), which brought $51.50. 



FOXES 



The feeding of foxes on the Pribilof Islands, Avhich is carried on 

 when it appears that the natural food supply is insufficient, was con- 

 tinued on both St. Paul and St. George Islands in the winter of 

 1927-28, preserved seal meat and specially prepared food being used. 

 Five hundred and eighty blue and 20 Avliite fox skins taken in the 

 season of 1925-26 Avere sold at public auction on October 3, 1927. 

 The blue pelts brought $32,128 and the Avhites brought $948.50, a 

 total of $33,076.50. On May 14, 1928, there were sold at public 

 auction 758 fox skins taken in the season of 1926-27, of which 728 

 blues brought $44,657 and 30 Avhites brought $1,439, a tota] of 

 $46,096. 



In the season of 1927-28, 47 blue and 15 Avhite fox skins were 

 taken on St. Paul Island and 231 blues on St. George Island, a total 

 of 293 skins. One hundred forty-nine foxes on St. Paul Island 

 and 336 on St. George Island Avere trapped, marked, and released 

 for breeding purposes. The breeding reserA^e also included animals 

 that Avere not captured in the traps. 



FUR-SEAL SKINS TAKEN BY NATIVES 



Under special privileges accorded them by the provisions of the 

 North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 7,"^ 1911, Indians took 282 

 skins in Avaters off the coast of Washington and 543 in southeastern 

 Alaska Avaters during the spring migration of the fur-seal herd in 

 1927. Through the courtesy of the Department of the Interior, the 

 superintendent of the Neah Bay Indian Agency authenticated the 

 skins taken by Indians living on reservations in the State of Wash- 



