XXXVin REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES 



SALES OF SEALSKINS 



In the fiscal year 1925 two public auction sales of fur-seal skins 

 taken at the Pribilof Islands were held at St. Louis, Mo. The first 

 was on October 15, 1924, when 14,136 black-dyed, 1,845 brown-dyed, 

 1,010 raw-salted, and 17 miscellaneous skins were sold at a gross 

 price of $470,447.15. In addition, four confiscated sealskins were 

 sold for $16.50, and four confiscated sea-otter skins brought $1,020. 

 At the second sale, on May 25, 1925, 5,839 black-dyed and 2,186 

 brown-dyed skins were sold for $225,994. At this time there were 

 also sold 4 skins from seals that died at the Steinhart aquarium, 

 1 confiscated sealskin, and 2 confiscated sea-otter skins. The five 

 sealskins brought a total of $49.50, and the sea-otter skins brought 

 $395. During the fiscal year the Secretary of Commerce authorized 

 the further sale of 362 sealskins, the sum realized being $16,835.13. 



The United States Government's share of fur-seal skins taken by 

 the Japanese Government on Robben Island in 1923 was 82 skins, 

 and 94 skins in 1924. The skins taken in 1923 were in process of 

 being dressed and dyed for market at the end of the year, but those 

 taken in 1924 had not been received. 



FOXES 



A special study of the fox herds of the Pribilof Islands was made 

 in the seasons of 1923-24 and 1924—25 to develop better methods of 

 feeding and handling the animals. More satisfactory food supplies 

 have been developed, and a regular system of feeding has been 

 inaugurated on St. Paul Island. 



The 787 blue and 15 white foxes taken on the Pribilof Islands 

 in the season of 1923-24 were sold at public auction at St. Louis 

 on October 15, 1924. The blue pelts brought $49,755.50 and the 

 whites $630, a total of $50,385.50. In the season of 1924-25, 709 

 foxskins were secured, of which 81 blue and 26 white pelts came 

 from St. Paul Island and 600 blue and 2 white pelts were taken 

 on St. George Island. On St. Paul Island 167 animals were marked 

 and released for breeding purposes, and on St. George Island 541 

 were marked. On each island there are animals that are not 

 handled during the foxing operations, which, when added to the 

 known reserve, considerably increase the available breeding stock. 



FUR-SEAL SKINS TAKEN BY NATIVES 



It is reported that in the spring of 1925 Indians secured 1,751 

 fur-seal skins in the waters off the coast of Washington. These 

 were authenticated for the bureau by the superintendent of the 

 Neah Bay Indian agency, of the Department of the Interior. In 

 southeastern Alaska Indians took 279 fur-seal skins, including 40 

 from unborn pups, which were duly authenticated by an employee 

 of the bureau. A number of fur-seal skins were taken also by 

 natives of British Columbia. 



FUR-SEAL PATROL 



The usual patrol of waters off the Pacific Coast States, British 

 Columbia, and Alaska during the annual migration of the Ameri- 



