88 



ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1919. 



nose to the root of the tail. The following table shows the figures 

 used for determining the ages of male seals: 



Age Standards of Body Lengths of Seals. 



Ages of Seals Killed on Pribilof Islands, Calendar Year 1919. 



Age. 



Yearlings 



2-year olds 



3-year olds 



4-year olds 



5-year olds 



6-year olds 



7-year olds and over 

 Cows " 



Total 



Summer (Jan. 1-Aug. 10), 

 1919. 



St. Paul. 



4 



123 



12,9S3 



2,020 



1,118 



2,089 



3,652 



38 



22,027 



St. 

 George. 



71 

 2,059 

 370 

 141 

 124 

 586 

 3 



3,354 



Total. 



194 

 15,042 

 2,390 

 1,259 

 2,213 

 4,238 

 41 



25,381 



Fall (Aug. 11-Dec. 31), 

 1919. 



St. Paul. 



7 



60 

 594 

 3S 

 35 

 300 

 980 

 12 



2,026 



St. 

 George. 



1.54 



226 



28 



2 



Total. 



7 



214 



820 



66 



37 



300 



980 



16 



2,440 



Grand 

 total. 



11 



408 

 15,862 

 2,456 

 1,296 

 2,513 

 5,218 

 57 



27,821 



a The few cows reported above, about one-fifth of 1 per cent of the total take, shown in the table, were 

 accidentally and unuvoidal)ly killed. Every possible ell'ort is made to avoid the killing of cows, but per- 

 sons familiar with conditions "at the islands will readily appreciate that once in a great while a cow is killed. 



Following the practice of previous years a census of the fur-seal 

 herd was taken in the summer of 1919. The increase in size of the 

 herd from year to year renders it increasingly difficult to enumerate 

 the animals and each year resort must be had to approximations and 

 estimates to a greater extent than before. The difhculties can be 

 eliminated to some degree by the erection of observation stations and 

 perhaps the construction of walkways through the rookeries. The 

 Bureau will take steps to bring about improvements of this character 

 as soon as possible. Full information hi regard to the census of 1919 

 is contained in the report, printed on pages 106 to 117, by Dr. G. Dallas 

 Hanna, who was in immediate charge of the census work. 



The following is a comparative statement of the numerical strength 

 of the various elements of the herd in the years 1912 to 1919, inclusive: 



General Comparison of Recent Censuses of the Seal Herd. 



Class of seals. 



Harem bulls 



Breeding cows 



Surplus bulls 



Idle bulls 



Yeimg bulls (chiefly 5- 



year-olds) 



6-year-old males 



5-year-old males 



4-year-old males 



3- year -old males 



2- year-old males 



Yearlini; males 



2-year-old cows 



Yearling cows 



Pups 



Total. 



1,358 

 81,984 



113 

 199 



100 

 2,(M)0 

 11,000 

 13,000 

 11,(K)0 

 13,000 

 81,984 



215,738 



1913 



1,403 

 92,269 



105 

 259 



2,000 

 10,000 

 15,000 

 20,000 

 15,000 

 20,000 

 92, 269 



268,305 



1914 



1,559 

 93, 250 



172 

 1,658 



9,939 

 13,880 

 17,422 

 23,068 

 17,422 

 23,067 

 93, 250 



294,687 



1915 



2,151 



103,. 527 



11,271 

 1,5,848 

 18,282 

 23,990 

 30,307 

 23,990 

 30,306 

 103, 527 



363, 872 



1916 



3,500 

 116,977 



11,167 

 15,494 

 15,427 

 19, 402 

 24, 169 

 33,645 

 24,245 

 33,646 

 116,977 



417.281 



1917 



4,850 

 128,024 



8,977 

 2,706 



15, 



16, 

 19, 

 20, 

 38, 

 26, 

 38, 

 128, 



468, 692 



1918 



5,344 



142,915 



17,110 



2,444 



1919 



5,158 



157, 172 



9,619 



2,239 



8,991 

 5,2S2 

 5,747 

 13,596 

 33,081 

 46, 444 

 33, 287 

 46,447 

 157, 172 



524, 235 



