102 KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE 



international treaty for the protection of the fur seals. The skins 

 were delivered to a representative of that Government at Seattle 

 in August 1934. The Government of Japan, which is also entitled 

 to 15 percent of the sealskins taken at the Pribilof Islands, con- 

 tinued to have its skins handled with those of the United States, 

 receiving- an appropriate share of the proceeds of the sale. 



Two hundred sealskins were allotted to the United States as its 

 share of the take by the Japanese Government on Kobb6n Island in 

 1934. They were received by the Department's selling agents at St. 

 Louis, Mo., in December. 



SEAL HERD 



As of August 10, 1934, the computed number of animals in the 

 Pribilof Islands fur-seal herd was 1,430,418, an increase of 111,850, 

 or 8.48 percent, over the corresponding figure for 1933. 



TAKE OF SEALSKINS 



In the calendar year 1934 there were taken on the Pribilof Islands 

 53,468 fur-seal skins, of which 42,972 were from St. Paul Island and 

 10,496 from St. George Island. This is a decrease of 1,082 from the 

 number taken in 1933. 



SALE or SEALSKINS 



Two public-auction sales of fur-seal skins taken on the Pribilof 

 Islands were held at St. Louis, Mo., in the fiscal year 1935. On 

 October 15, 1934, 10,000 black-dyed, 3,000 logwood brown-dyed, and 

 6,000 of the new safari brown-dyed skins were sold for $336,846.25. 

 At the same time three confiscated fur-seal skins, parchments, were 

 sold for $7.50. 



The second sale, held on April 8, 1935, consisted of 12,600 black- 

 dyed, 11,500 safari brown-dyed, and 2,303 logwood brown-dyed 

 skins, which brought a gross sum of $616,990.75. 



Special sales of Pribilof Islands sealskins authorized by the Sec- 

 retary of Commerce in the fiscal year 1935 consisted of 1,607 black- 

 dyed, 1,843 safari brown-dyed, 1,027 logwood brown-dyed, and 300 

 raw salted skins, which brought a total gross sum of $98,460.44. In 

 addition, the Department advertised and sold to the highest bidders 

 for $621.22 two fur-seal coats, 1 black and 1 logwood brown, that had 

 been usetl for display purposes. Eacli coat was made up of seven 

 Pribilof Islands sealskins. 



FOXES 



The managj^ment of blue fox herds on St. Paul and St. George 

 Islands is incidental to the fur-seal industry and requires attention 

 at a time when sealing activities are light. Beginning about the 

 first of December the animals are fed prepared rations and ai"e 

 trapped for their pelts. 



During the 1934-35 season there were taken 184 blue and 16 white 

 fox skins on St. Paul Island and 799 blue and 3 white skins on St. 

 George Island, a total of 1,002. Eleven foxes on St. Paul Island 

 and 266 on St. George Island were marked and released for breed- 

 ing stock. The reserve includes also a considerable number of 

 animals that were not caught in the traps. 



