ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1920. 



Ill 



The brands of this series consisted of one or more bars burned 

 across the back or in a few cases with a longitudinal bar on the side 

 combined with a cross bar. The work had for its object at the time 

 of its inception the depreciation of the skin of the female to such an 

 extent that it would be unprofitable for pelagic hunters to take it. 

 The first experimental brands were put on in 189G, and when the 

 operation was found to be practicable it was continued each season 

 thereafter until 1902 on St. Paul Island and to 1903 on St. George 

 Island, when it was abandoned. W. I. Lembke}' states ^ that it was 

 stopped in 1903 hy departmental order. It was found a useless pro- 

 cedure in so far as the original objective was concerned. 



A table was published in the 1918 report, page 122, which showed 

 the totals l)randed each j-ear on St. Paul. It included St. George 

 also for 1S9G and 1897. Subsequent records for the latter island 

 could not then be located. Mr. C. E. Crompton has since found some 

 of them and has. kindly furnished them to me for use in this report. 

 His records show the brandings on the smaller island for 1901 to 

 1908, inclusive, and they are embodied in the tables given below. 

 Thus we now have the complete record of this work in so far as the 

 island journals are kept, except for St. George Island, for the three 

 years 1898, 1899, and 1900. 



The records secured by Mr. Crompton failed to include one for 

 October 12, 1903, of which I find a published statement in Appendix 

 A to Hearings before House Committee on Expenditures in the De- 

 partment of Commerce, page 100. It is there stated by Chichester 

 that 274 pups were branded on that date. These have been added to 

 the St. (ieorge totals for that year. 



Female Pups Branded 1896 to 1903. 



Year. 



1896 



1897 



1898 



1899 



1900 



1901 



1902 



1903 



Total 



St. Paul 

 Island. 



.St. Oeorge 

 Island. 



•315 

 '5,371 

 2,363 

 2,191 

 l,6nH 

 4,173 

 1,416 



17,527 



»l,i 



>62 



686 

 1,326 

 1,352 



Total. 



377 

 7,251 

 2, 363 

 2,191 

 1,698 

 4,859 

 2,742 

 1,352 



5,306 



22, 833 



' Jordan and Clark, Fur Seal Investigations, 189ft-97, p. 326. 

 » Murray, ibid., pp. 137, 3.38. 

 ' Judge, ibid., p. XiS. 

 < No record. 



It seems desirable to record here the character of brands used 

 when it has been po.ssible to ascertain them. During several years 

 when braiuling was done. ;i few cows were also captured and received 

 the mark, bnt the numbei- was so insignificant as to need no further 

 mention in this connection. 



' Appendix A, Ilearlnps Housf Committer on Expondlturfs, Dopartmcnt of rommerce, 

 p. .388. 1011. 



