ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1934 



71 



as the rookeries increase in size, especially on flat areas where there 

 are no rocks to afl'ord protection for the young until they are able to 

 find their way to the edge of the breeding area. Inasmuch as the 

 season of 1934 was exceptionally rainy and cold, it is believed that the 

 death rate of pups was considerably larger than usual. For some time 

 after birth the ])ups appear to suffer severely when it is wet and cold. 

 For the lirst time, two stillbirths were noted on Polovina rookery 

 during the same day. Both pups were fully matured and appeared 

 perfect in every wa3^ The mothers exerted every effort to start life 

 by shaking and biting the pups, but failed to do so. 



Dislribulion of pups on the Fribilof Islands, Aug. 10, 1934, o.^d comparison with 



distribution in 1933 



MORTALITY OF SEALS AT SEA 



Inasmuch as there was no information at hand to indicate that a 

 change was required, the same mortality rates used for computing 

 the number of animals in the herd in 1933 were applied in this year's 

 computation. The fact that there was no increase over the previous 

 year in the number of 3-year-old males arriving during the killing 

 season does not indicate that there has been a change in the average 

 growth of the herd or of any particular class of animals. A decrease 

 might occur for several years and then be followed by a sufficient in- 

 crease to provide for the estimated average increase as computed from 

 past experience. 



