94 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



year-old males, 2 two-year-old males, 2 yearling males, 2 black pups, 

 2 gray pups, and 2 three-year-old females. The specimens were 

 sold to the Fouke Fur Co., St. Louis, for $56. 



FOXES, 

 FOS-TEAPPING SEASON OF 1922-23. 



The season's take of fox pelts on both islands consisted of 888 

 blue and 29 white i)elts, a total of 917. 



On St. Paul Island trapping began December 18 and ended 

 December 30, 1922. Forty-four native men engaged in the work, 

 and 532 traps were used. In all 233 pelts were secured, of which 

 205 were blue and 28 white. 



On St. George Island trapping began in December, 1922, and 

 continued until March 8, 1923. Trapping to secure pelts ceased, 

 however, on February 18 when signs of mating were observed, 

 trapping thereafter being solely for the purpose of securing addi- 

 tional data in regard to the breeding reserves. Including 2 blue- 

 fox pelts secured in November, 1922, from animals found dead, the 

 take of pelts for the season consisted of 683 blue and 1 white, a total 

 of 684 pelts. The total number of foxes marked and released as 

 breeders was 304, of which 147 were males and 157 females. The 

 actual breeding reserve was considerably more than 304, since many 

 animals did not enter the traps at all. 



Trapping on St. George Island was again very much handi- 

 capped by the prevailing warm and wet weather. Foxes will enter 

 the trapping corral at the village only under the urge of hunger. 

 Snow and ice cut off the natural sources of food to a large extent, and 

 under those conditions the foxes enter the corral much more readily 

 than when open weather makes available considerable food at other 

 places on the island. 



SALE OF BLUE FOXES. 



To assist private enterprise in blue- fox farming the bureau sold 12 

 live animals from the Pribilof herds in 1922. They were secured on 

 St. George Island and delivered at Unnlaska by the fisheries vessel 

 Eider in September. The price was $175 per animal, which was 

 somewhat above the current market for pelts. The animals were sold 

 to the following persons: John Mattick, Seward, Alaska, 4 pairs; 

 H. Wliittlesey, Seward, Alaska, 1 pair; and Charles Williamson, 

 Unalaska, Alaska, 2 females. From the $2,100 received in payment 

 $60 ($5 per fox) was divided among the St. George natives employed 

 in capturing and shipping the animals. The balance, $2,040, was 

 available for the United States Treasury. 



REINDEER. 



The reindeer herds on St. Pa\ul and St. George Islands are a valu- 

 able source of fresh meat for both the bureau's personnel and the 

 natives. The herds are being drawn upon for food purposes to an in- 

 creasing extent, but the number remaining at the end of each year, 

 with the exception, for reasons unknown, of St. Paul Island in 1922, 

 has increased. The forage is ample to support herds much larger 

 than those existing at present. The animals run at large and are 



