ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES 135 



CORRECTION IN REPORT OF TRAPPING SEASON 1936-37 



The report of foxing operations at the Pribilof Islands in the 1936-37 

 season showed a total take of 999 blue and 13 white foxskins. When 

 these skins were graded by the Department's selling agents at St. 

 Louis, Mo., however, it was found that one of the skins from St. Paul 

 Island which was listed originally as white was a freak skin, more blue 

 than white, and it was included with the blue skins in the sale. The 

 records have been corrected, therefore, to show the 1936-37 season's 

 take as 1,000 blue and 12 white foxskins. 



REINDEER 



St. Paul Island. — There were 1,673 reindeer counted on St. Paul 

 Island on September 30, 1937, of which 420 were the young of the 

 season. Eighty animals (70 males and 10 females) had been killed 

 for food during the year. Of these, 36 were used at the mess of the 

 Bureau, 2 by the naval radio station, 27K by St. Paul Island natives, 

 10 by temporary native workmen, }^ by the Penguin, and 4 were 

 shipped to St. George Island. The herd was in good condition. 



St. George Island. — A count of the reindeer on St. George Island on 

 October 16 showed 32 animals in the herd, of which 8 were this year's 

 fawns. Five males and three females had been killed for food during 

 the year. In April 1937 there were 45 reindeer counted on tliis 

 island, including 12 young deer. The fall census, therefore, indicates 

 that four of the young had died or been killed by the older bucks. 



Apparently conditions on St. George Island are not favorable for 

 the maintenance of more than a limited number of reindeer. In the 

 first few years after their introduction on the Pribilof Islands, the 

 reindeer increased rapidly, and by the end of 1916 there were 111 on 

 St. Paul Island and 85 on St. George Island from an original stock 

 of 25 and 15, respectively, transferred there in 1911. The herd on 

 St. George Island reached its maximum in 1922 with an estimated 

 total of 200 animals. From 1917 to 1926, inclusive, 194 reindeer were 

 killed for food on St. George Island and 172 on St. Paul Island. 

 Since 1926, however, only 16 animals have been taken for food on 

 St. George Island, as compared with 299 on St. Paul Island. At 

 present the herd on St. George Island is the smallest for any year 

 since 1912, and there appears to be a surplus of males, these animals 

 numbering more than 2 to 1 of the females. 



FUR-SEAL SKINS 



SHIPMENTS 



Six hundred and ninety-seven barrels containing 54,679 fur-seal 

 skins taken on the Pribilof Islands in 1937 Avere shipped on the U. S. S. 

 Sirius and arrived at Seattle on August 27. Fifteen barrels of blubber, 

 having a gross weight of 8,192 pounds, also were brought to Seattle on 

 the Sirius, for use by the Fouke Fur Co. in the tanning of sealskins. 



Delivery of 8,277 skins packed in 104 barrels was made to a repre- 

 sentative of the Canadian Government at Seattle on August 30, in 

 accordance with provisions of the fur-seal treaty. The remaining 



