58 



U, S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Ages of seals killed on Pribilof Islands, calendar year 1934. 

 [On basis of classification shown in preceding table] 



Age 



St. Paul 

 Island 



St. George 

 Island 



Total 



2-5'ear-old males 

 3-year-old males 

 4-year-old males 

 Cows 1 



Total 



777 



41,818 



330 



47 



164 



10,117 



202 



13 



941 



51, 935 



532 



60 



42, 972 



10, 496 



53, 468 



1 Cows unavoidably and accidentally killed or found dead. 



Some of the seals recorded in the above tabulation as 2-year-olds 

 and 4-year-olds probably were 3-year-olds, as not all male seals of a 

 given age fall within the length limits assigned for the males of that 

 age. As far as possible, the killings in 1934 were confined to 3-year- 

 old males. 



RESERVING OPERATIONS 



No 3-year-old male seals were marked for the breeding reserve in 

 1934. It was evident at the close of the season that the number of 

 adolescent males of this age class was ample to maintain in subse- 

 quent years the supply of bulls in sufficient strength to meet all 

 breedmg requirements of the herd. 



COMPUTATION OF FUR-SEAL HERD 



The computation of the fur-seal herd in 1934 was made by Supt. 

 H. J. Christoffers. As of August 10 the total of all classes was 

 1,430,418 — a numerical increase of 111,850 over the figures for the 

 preceding year. The detailed report will be found on pages 67 to 73 

 of this document. Following is a comparative statement of the 

 numerical strength of the various elements of the fur-seal herd in the 

 years 1923 to 1934, inclusive: 



General compari 



ison of computations of the seal herd on the Pribilof Islands, 1923 

 to 1934 



Classes 



Harem bulls 



Breeding cows,. 



Surplus bulls 



Idle bulls 



6-year-old males. 

 5-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 653,008 



1923 



3,412 



197,659 



1,891 



312 



4,863 



10,612 



5,710 



22, 786 



43,112 



55, 769 



48, 801 



60, 422 



197, 659 



3,516 



208, 396 



2, 043 



390 



8,489 



5,132 



18, 670 



21,551 



45, 685 



59, 291 



51, 359 



64, 240 



208, 396 



697, 158 



1925 



3,526 



226, 090 



3,558 



311 



4,105 



16,792 



18, 692 



21,185 



43, 515 



52,091 



49, 786 



57. 309 



226, 090 



723, 050 



1926 



4,034 



244, 114 



2,002 



423 



13, 434 



16,812 



17,872 



17, 189 



38, 183 



56, 514 



44,415 



62, 175 



244, 114 



761,281 



1927 



4,643 



263, 566 



4,827 



972 



13, 450 



16, 073 



14,448 



9,730 



41, 252 



61,026 



48, 186 



67, 131 



263, 566 



808, 870 



1928 



6,050 

 284, 725 



5,285 



1,449 

 12, 857 

 13,001 



7,798 

 11, 133 

 49, 087 

 65, 861 

 57, 061 

 72, 481 

 284,725 



871,513 



