88 



ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1917. 



CENSUS OF THE FUR-SEAL HERD. 



A census of the fur-seal herd of the Pribilof Islands was again taken 

 in 1917. The work was under the immediate charge of G. Dallas 

 Hanna. He was assisted by other members of the Alaska service 

 stationed on the Pribilof Islands, and by Dr. Harold Heath, of Stan- 

 ford University. Transportation between St. Paul and St. George 

 Islands was' afforded by the Coast Guard cutter ZJnalga and b}'^ the 

 Fisheries steamer Roosevelt. 



The increased size of the herd, together with the relatively much 

 greater increase in the number of male seals, made the work more 

 difficult than in any previous year and radical changes in methods of 

 procedure were necessary. 



For the purpose of showing the numerical strength of the herd in 

 1917 as compared with the five preceding years, the following table 

 of recent censuses of the herd is given: 



General Comparison op Recent Censuses op the Seal Herd. 



Class of seals. 



1913 



1914 



1915 



1916 



Harem bulls 



Breeding cows 



Surplus bulls 



Idle bulls 



Young bulls (chiefly 5-year olds). 



6-year-old males 



6-year-old males 



4-year-old males 



3-year-old males 



2-year-old males 



Yearling males 



2-year-old cows 



Yearling cows 



Pups 



Total. 



1,358 

 81,984 



1,403 

 92,269 



1,559 

 93,250 



2,151 

 103,527 



113 

 199 



105 

 259 



172 

 1,65S 



673 



100 

 2,000 

 11,000 

 13,000 

 11,000 

 13, 000 

 81,984 



2,000 

 10,000 

 15,000 

 20,000 

 15, 000 

 20,000 

 92,269 



9,939 



13,880 

 17,422 

 23,068 

 17,422 

 23,067 

 93,250 



11,271 

 15, 848 

 18,282 

 23,990 

 30,307 

 23,990 

 30,306 

 103,527 



3,500 

 116,977 



2,632 



11,167 

 15, 494 

 15,427 

 19, 402 

 24, 169 

 33, 645 

 24,245 

 33,646 

 116,977 



215,738 



268,305 



294,687 



363,872 



417,281 



4,850 



128,ri'4 



8,977 



2,7J6 



15,397 

 14,813 

 16,631 

 19,507 

 26,815 

 38,013 

 26,917 

 38,018 

 128,024 



468,692 



The report su})mitted by Mr. Hanna considers various phases of 

 the problems connected with the management of the herd in addition 

 to the details of the census. Data in regard to the census are pub- 

 lished in another section of this report. 



FOXES. 



The taking of fox pelts in the season of 1917-18 for commercial 

 purposes was begun on both St. Paul and St. George Islands in 

 December, 1917. The take on both islands for the season, including 

 a few skins from animals found dead at various times, consisted of 

 692 blue pelts and 19 white pelts. Information in regard to the 

 operations has been transmitted by radio and is necessarily limited 

 to the more important facts. 



St. Paul Island. — In the week ending December 31, 1917, 74 blue 

 pelts and 8 white pelts were taken, and in January, 1918, the take 

 consisted of 15 blues and 6 whites. A skin secured in April, 1918, 

 from a blue fox found dead may properly be considered a part of the 

 season's take, inasmuch as it became available for shipment with the 

 others. This makes the total for the season 90 blues and 14 whites. 



In the season of 1916-17 there were taken on St. Paul Island 150 

 blue pelts and 37 white pelts (including one of each taken from foxes 



