ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1927 



167 



cows come ashore is shorter than the breeding period of the mature 

 cows it is probable that the proportion should be a httle more than 

 one to five. 



Number of harem and idle bulls, approximate ratio of idle bulls to harem bulls, and 



average harem, 1927 



In 1926 there were 3,478 harem bulls on St. Paul Island, and in 

 1927, 3,916, an increase of 438. On St. George Island there were, in 

 1926, 556 harem bulls, and in 1927, 727, an increase of 171. On both 

 islands the increase was 609. The number of idle bulls increased on 

 St. Paul Island 478; on St. George, 71 ; an increase for the whole herd 

 of 549 or 130 per cent. 



The approximate ratio of idle to harem bulls in 1926 on St. Paul 

 Island was 1 to 9, on St. George Island 1 to 10, and for the whole 

 herd 1 to 10. In 1927, on St. Paul Island, the ratio was approxi- 

 mately 1 to 5, St. George Island 1 to 6, and for the whole herd 1 to 5. 



During the counting of the bulls 6 dead were noted. 



AVERAGE HAREM 



Although the average harem decreased for each island, there were 

 seven rookeries on St. Paul Island (Lukanin, Ardiguen, Lagoon, 

 Tolstoi, Zapadni, Zapadni Reef, and Little Polovina) that showed an 

 increase. On North rookery, St. George Island, the average harem 

 dropped from 85.05 to 60.50, a decrease of 24.55. 



