98 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1918. 
in 1918 for the several sizes of skins which bear no age relation to the 
animals at all. The sizes of the grades were not changed. The fol- 
lowing table shows the equivalents. 
TRADE CLASSIFICATION OF SEALSKINS. 





Old names. New names. Lengths. 
Inches. 
Wiss. SoBe ica enecs Satanic scsasbee seis totasaneses yi Above 55 
LOGlin gs eee ee ces cece ee eacece eee eee 
Middlings and smalls 49 to 55 
Smalls as 46 to 48 
Large pups Rook Feats aass Be 43 to 45 
Middling pups. Baas mae i 2 nee Ss 39 to 42 
Small pups els =Ee = He 35 to 38 
This terminology was used in the two public-auction sales at 
St. Louis in 1918 and was accepted by the trade without confusion. 
CENSUS. 
A census of the seal herd was taken in 1918 at the usual time by 
employees of the Bureau. An increase of the number of cows 
slightly greater than the normal which has prevailed for several years 
is encouraging. Slight differences in methods of computation have 
been instituted as the knowledge of death rates and other factors 
have required. Complete information on this subject is given in the 
report by G. Dallas Hstivia published herewith. 
Following is astatement showing the numerical strength of the herd 
in 1918 as compared with the six preceding years: 
GENERAL COMPARISON OF RECENT CENSUSES OF THE SEAL HERD. 




Class of seals. 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 
Harembulls:.so.ceeseceseeesccceseeeece 1,358 1, 403 1,559 2,151 3,500 4,850 5,344 
Breeding COWS. «sci nee aodasestees sees 81,984 | 92,269 | 93,250 | 103,527 | 116,977 | 128,024 | 142,915 
Surplusibulls 2... 229-6 acces qoteeele ioe sme | Sows ee aera ee leeeee = elas eee 8,977 | 17,110 
Adleibulls2. esse ek ose eee ene eeeeee 113 105 172 673 2,632 2,706 2,444 
Young bulls (chiefly 5-year-olds)........ 199 259 15 GDB) | eisie'bis oo 5|Giaisinia's'nso| sete eee leeememee 
6-year-oldmales 5 .uasen cmc oaiee wae ord| Sewssen ae Seer sic cele ae seer See boocee 11/167:| 1553977} 918),765 
5-year-old: males :.:2... sca-hine. sceees Aas eae eth ee: [Gee eee 11,271 | 15,494] 14,813] 11,941 
4-year-old males. . : 100] 2,000} 9,939] 15,848] 15,427] 16,631] 7,114 
3-year-old males... 2,000 | 10,000} 13,880] 18,282] 19,402] 19,507 9,117 
2-year-old males . 11,000 | 15,000] 17,422] 23, 24,169] 26,815} 30,159 
Yearling males.. 13,000 | 20,000} 23,068 | 30,307] 33,645] 38,013] 41,595 
2-year-old cows... -| 11,000 | 15,000] 17,422] 23, 24,245 | 26,917] 30,415 
Yearling cowa).f2- setievtesckc aut anche 13,000 | 20,000 | 23,067} 30,306 | 33,646] 38,018| 41,608 
PUPS teen cee asses cee cram ateste ee recite ste 81,984 | 92,269} 93,250 | 103,527 | 116,977 | 128,024 | 142,915 
Oba sec to5 actaccs tee eee 215,738 | 268,305 | 294,687 | 363,872 | 417,281 | 468,692 | 496, 432 

SPECIMENS OF FUR SEALS FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES. 
From time to time calls are made upon the Bureau by scientific 
institutions for specimens of the Alaska fur seal for exhibition or 
other purposes. There is no authority in law whereby animals may 
be killed to supply this demand. A few cows and bulls and a con- 
siderable number of pups are found dead on the rookeries each year, 
however, and these afford a means of filling such requirements. 
