REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 47 



Britain and Japan as their share of skins to Avhich they are entitled 

 under the North Pacific Sealing Convention of 1911. 



FOXES AND REINDEER. 



The herds of blue foxes on the Pribilof Islands maintain them- 

 selves naturall}^ to a large extent on the refuse from seal killings 

 and the thousands of sea birds that nest on the islands. Seal carcasses 

 are also stored for feeding during the winter months. Since the re- 

 sumption of commercial sealing the fox herds have steadily grown 

 and are now a valuable asset to the Government. Foxing operations 

 during the winter of 1921-22 yielded a total of 712 blue and 21 white 

 pelts. Warm weather and high seas during the trapping season 

 interfered seriously with the work, particularly on St. George 

 Island, which has the largest herd, as so much food was available on 

 the beaches that the animals did not come to the traps for food. 

 Over 200 pairs of foxes were marked and released as breeders on 

 St, George Island during the trapping season. 



The fox skins taken in the season of 1920-21, numbering 1,125 

 blues and 14 whites, were sold at public auction in St. Louis Septem- 

 ber 28, 1921. The price realized was $109,398, an average of $96.83 

 for blue and $33 for white skins. 



An arrangement was also made through the Bureau of Biological 

 Survey for the sale of live blue foxes to natives of the Aleutian 

 Islands for stocking fox farms. Four pairs were thus delivered in 

 September, 1921, payment being made at the rate of $88.12 per 

 animal, the average received at the last preceding sale of Pribilof 

 fox skins in St. Louis. 



The herds of reindeer on the Pribilof Islands have made satis- 

 factory growth since their introduction in 1911. It was estimated 

 at the end of the calendar year 1921 that there were 250 animals 

 on St. Paul Island and 160 on St. George, a total of 410. In ad- 

 dition 53 were killed for food during the year, 19 of wdiich were 

 used on St. George Island. 



COOPERATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. 



The International Committee on Marine Fishery Investigations 

 held two meetings during the year, the first at Boston on November 

 4, 1921, attended by two representatives of Canada and two rep- 

 resentatives of the Ignited States, and the second in Montreal on May 

 26, 1922, attended by all representatives of the United States and 

 Canada. On neither occasion was it possible for the representative of 

 Newfoundland to be present. This committee, while engaging in 

 no investigations on its own part, serves as a coordinating agency 

 for the marine fishery investigations of the several countries. 

 Through the discussions of work accomplished or in contemplation 

 and the information and suggestions gained in meeting, it is possible 

 for functioning agencies of the several Governments to plan and con- 

 duct investigations in a manner more productive of results and more 

 helpful to all concerned. 



As in the preceding years the bureau has cooperated with a number 

 of other Government bureaus, as a result of which it has both re- 



