ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 



133 



AGE CLASSES 



The age class of a male seal of the Pribilof Islands herd is determined 

 from the length of its body. The classification was derived from meas- 

 urements of a large number of pups branded in 1912 and killed in sub- 

 sequent years. The limits of the various age classes are shown in the 

 table following: 



Age classes of male seals, Pribilof Islands 



Age 



Yearlings - 

 2-year-olds 

 3-year-olds 



Length 

 (inches) 



Up to 36.75 

 37 to 40.75 

 41 to 45.75 



Age 



4-year-olds 

 5-year-olds 

 6-year-olds 



Length 

 (inches) 



46 to 51.75 

 52 to 57.75 

 58 to 63.75 



Ages of seals killed on Pribilof Islands, calendar year 1937 

 [On basis of classification shown in preceding table] 



Age 



Yearling males . 

 2-year-old males 

 3-year-old males 

 4-year-old males 

 5-year-old males 

 Cows > 



Total 



St. Paul 

 Island 



4 



1,433 



40, 944 



1,566 



4 



117 



44, 068 



St. George 

 Island 



429 



9,856 



772 



2 



53 



11,112 



Total 



4 



1,862 



50, 800 



2,338 



6 



170 



55, 180 



1 Cows unavoidably and accidentally killed or found dead. 



Some of the seals recorded in the above tabulation as 2-year-olds 

 and 4-year-olds probably were 3-year-olds, as not all male seals of a 

 given age fall within the length limits assigned for the males of that 

 age. As far as possible, the killings in 1937 were confined to 3-year- 

 old males. 



COMPUTATION OF FUR-SEAL HERD 



The computation of the fur-seal herd in 1937 was made by Supt. H. 

 J. Christoffers. As of August 10 the total of all classes was 1,839,119 — 

 a numerical increase of 149,376 over the figures for the preceding year. 

 The detailed report will be JFound on pages 142 to 150 of this document. 

 Following is a comparative statement of the numerical strength of 

 the various elements of the fur-seal herd in the years 1926 to 1937, 

 inclusive. 



