120 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1918. 
Paul 23 and St. George 12. It was customary in commercial sealing 
throughout the leases 1871 to 1909 to close operations at the end 
of July, because the rigid discipline of the harem masters is then 
relaxed and cows wander in increased numbers to the hauling 
eee: The danger of killing them after that date is greater than 
efore. 
HERMAPHRODITE SEALS. 
In the 1918 killings two hermaphrodite seals were found on St. Paul 
Island. Both were too small to have begun the development of the 
outward appearance of the bull and were supposed to be 3-year-old 
males by the clubbers. The skull of one which was studied had the 
characteristics of both sexes while the only generative organs present 
were ovaries. 
THE 3-YEAR-OLD COWS. 
Since 1915 the loss of seals during the first three years has been 
placed at 50 per cent. The result arrived at in 1918 is further 
evidence that this rate of loss is approximately correct. 
In 1917 there were estimated 128,024 breeding cows. By deducting 
10 per cent or 12,802 which have been lost due to old age there 
remain 115,222 of the 1917 herd in 1918. This figure deducted from 
the total number calculated for 1918 (142,915) leaves 27,693 to 
represent the increment of 3-year-old cows in this year. 
To get at the actual number of this class it is necessary to go back 
to 1915, when a complete pup count was made showing 103,527. It 
half of these were males and half females and all had lived, there 
would be 51,763 new cowsin 1918. If half died, however, there would 
only be 25,881, a number so close to that calculated above, 27,693, as 
to be significant. The difference would be easily accounted for in 
many ways, such as an annual variation of losses, inexact equality of 
- births of sexes, etc. 
AVERAGE HAREMS ON ROOKERIES COUNTED IN 1918. 


Breeding| Harem | Average 
bulls. 
Rookery. cows. arem, 



ST. PAUL ISLAND. 








Reddy Hist) | AIST Ae SoSs fh Oa Gea 19, 398 688 28. 19 
ARGON Gs obi oc ade < abe ok bess cates oe Deh cere eee eee = eas ce eee ee 512 25 20. 48 
LiMDACTIORCEL os ce ree a oben ooo ee ead ae oe eee De ee a ee acces 536 27 19. 85 
olovingt seece’ Gs ss Seth sath ees aR eee ot ae 5, 343 185 28. 88 
Total LG SIL a FO OO rate. SEES REE TY C5 25,789 | 925 27. 88 
ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 
FiTVAREINT = APSE SOE Sen AIRE Pe Pe Pe ee ate eae Se eee pais asta 806 43 18.74 
Poth -1 A> 692 foe. evened. sete el eee es eee. eet 61 8 7. 62 
IAG OEROO le oro: a.s = cme oie tices ean a Eden ade eee eee a oe! 2,120 99 21.41 
570) 1 Se ee Ree maa Seba BE BESTS Be 2 weet tas ss ubenecndes anes 2, 987 150 19.91 



otal, bothyislands: 1 ¢; -<f:este-k canst os doe eee ow tee soos 28, 776 1,075 26. 76 
