ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1927 



151 



AGE CLASSES 



The age class of a male seal belonging to the Pribilof Islands herd 

 is determmed from the length of its body. The classification was 

 derived from measurements of a large number of pups branded in 

 1912 and killed in subsequent years. The limits of the various age 

 classes are shown in the table following: 



Age classes of male seals, Pribilof Islands 



Ages of seals killed on Pribilof Islands, calendar year 1921 

 [On basis of classification shown in preceding table] 



1 Cows unavoidably and accidentally killed. 



It should be stated that some of the seals recorded in the above 

 tabulfition as 2-year-olds or 4-year-olds probably were 3-year-olds. 

 With the exception of one thousand 2-year-old males killed in the 

 regular sealing season and a few of the same class killed for food in the 

 fall, the killings were confined, as far as possible, to 3-year-old males. 

 Not all the male seals of a given age fall within the length limits 

 assigned for the males of that age. 



RESERVING OPERATIONS 



As in previous years, further provision was made in 1927 for the 

 maintenance of the male breeding stock by reserving from killing an 

 adequate number of 3-year-old males. On St. Paul Island 6,847 

 animals and on St. George 2,243 were marked for the reserve. With 

 the exception of 200 seals that were branded with a hot iron on St. 

 Paul Island, all were marked by shearing a patch of fur. The actual 

 reserve of 3-year-old males in 1927 included other animals than those 

 marked, because not all the annuals of that age class are taken up in 

 the sealing drives. 



