344 U. 8S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
AVERAGE HAREM 
The average harem for the season of 1936 appeared to be slightly 
higher than usual. The estimated average harem for St. Paul Island 
was 42.74 and for St. George Island 42.84. This is an increase of 
0.60 over the average in the preceding year for St. Paul Island and 
0.10 for St. George Island. Although the average harem has been 
increasing slightly in the last few years it is still at a fair size. The 
fact that there is an increase, however, indicates that the reserve of 
bulls has not been larger than necessary. There is not a constant 
decrease in the average harem with an increase of breeders. A large’ 
surplus for breeding stock apparently causes a larger percentage of 
increase in the number of animals born and therefore makes available 
later a greater number of killable seals. 
In 1923, 10,017 3-year-old male seals were marked for a breeding 
reserve; and in 1924, 8,572 3-year-old males. Further reserves were 
made in subsequent years until 1932, when a much smaller number 
than usual were marked, as the work was interrupted by the arrival 
and unloading of the supply vessel. Since 1932 no animals have been 
marked, but the number of 3-year-old males remaining at the close of the 
killing season was deemed ample to take care of breeding requirements. 
The reserved seals of 1923 became fully matured breeders 3 or 4 years 
later, and their progeny were of a killable age in another 3 years. The 
Jallings increased from 29,276 3-year-old males in 1928 to 38,845 3-year- 
olds in 1929, and 47,767 3-year-olds in 1931. This clearly indicates 
that a larger breeding reserve will result in a greater increase in the per- 
centage of 3-year-olds available for killing. It seems desirable, there- 
fore, again to create a larger breeding reserve. The marking of seals at 
the beginning of the season is not advisable, as it would mean redriving 
them several times during the killing period. The same result may 
be obtained by discontinuing sealing a few days earlier than usual. 
Computation of breeding cows, based on annual increase of 8 percent, and of average 
harem, in 1936 















Breeding cows Average harem 
Fo alle 1 eel) wearer 
Rookery bulls, ener 
1935 1936 1936 1936 1935 in 1936 
from 1935 
St. Paul Island: 
7i 16, 139 17, 430 427 40. 82 39. 65 +1.17 
7, 803 8, 427 193 43. 66 41. 28 +2. 38 
40, 978 44, 256 961 46. 05 45.89 +.16 
3, 876 4, 186 93 45. 01 44.04 +. 97 
82, 310 88, 895 1, 780 49. 94 49, 26 +. 68 
SLVIiCO: Se 2228 Giles eae a2 Doe LD ait 25, 188 27, 203 435 62. 54 59. 13 +3. 41 
Lagoon (actual count pups)_-------- 115 59 1 59. 00 38. 33 +20. 67 
THOWSTOL! Seat et Ee SEO ey es FE PL eo ae 48, 454 52, 330 1, 165 44.92 45. 75 —.83 
ASDA ee sate a eee en eee 46, 566 50, 291 1, 050 47.90 49. 43 —1.53 
ittleyZapad miss. swe tones es 23, 736 25, 635 546 46.95 46. 82 +.13 
Zapadnict Recta s22 see mee. ees 823 889 59 15. 07 14. 44 +. 63 
Polovinae ees 6 eee ee 16, 735 18, 074 420 43.03 43.81 —.78 
RolovinaGliiisee see See eee 9, 163 9, 896 320 30. 92 29. 09 +1. 83 
Mitte yeolovinneee ss eee eee 3, 337 3, 604 112 32.18 31.19 +.99 
INT OR] O Wile ee ee en ene 5, 998 6, 478 308 21.03 18. 92 +2. 11 
Wostochmie eas oe eset Se 66, 772 72, 114 2,185 33. 00 32. 09 +. 91 
AT Ob alliy® Me es See SEN eget 397, 993 429, 767 10, 055 42.74 42.14 +. 60 
St. George Island 
INOrthe F452 re Ee ee eee 32, 473 35, O71 790 44.39 45, 29 —.90 
Stara yasAryil pee ee ee ee 24, 468 26, 425 600 44. 04 43.15 +. 89 
ADAG oe aie we Brae el oe es See 3, 453 3, 729 186 20. 05 18.87 +1.18 
SOU tees ae eee ae ee es 810 875 139 6. 29 6.09 +. 20 
HastpRiceis ames okt eee eee 7, 441 8, 036 163 49.30 55. 53 —6. 23 
Masti @lifist 2-2-2 SNe elvan Ss 21, 245 22, 945 388 59. 14 57. 57 +1. 57 
Pot latetas eee ee Se Bee 89, 890 97, O81 2, 266 42. 84 42.74 +.10 
Motal. (bothuslands) 2222 222 ee 487, 883 526, 848 12, 321 42.76 42. 25 +. 61 



