410 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



slightly thinner distribution over the iiost-dorsal region, and shorter. 

 This skin is never taken; it is profitless. Average weight 25 pounds. 



iSeven-yearold and npicard male, from May to Jtme 1 of every season: 

 Fur fully developed, but very unevenly distributed, being relatively 

 scant and short over the posterior dorsal region, while it is twice as 

 long and very coarse in tlie covering to the shoulders especially and 

 the neck and chest. Skins are valueless to the fur trade. Weights 45 

 to GO pounds. 



This analysis, as above, is a brief epitome of the entire subject: only 

 it should be added that the female skins are as finely furred as are the 

 best grades of the males when pups are not nursing: and also, that age 

 does not cause the quality of their pelage to deteriorate, which it does 

 to so marked an extent in the males. But, taking them into considera- 

 tion, is entirely out of the question, and ought to be so forever. 



The foetal coat of the pup is composed of coarse black hair alone, 

 the underwool not at all developed. When this is shed and the new 

 coat is put on in September and October, it is furred and haired as a year- 

 ling, which I diagnose above. This pelage has, however, no commercial 

 value. 



All the skins taken by the company have been prime skins, in the fair 

 sense of the term. 



To this diagnosis of 1872-1874 I may add the 4-year-olds are divided 

 by the sealers into ^^ smooth ^^ 4-year-olds and '■^ icigged" 4-year-olds. 

 The " smooth" skin is the finest one in the field; the " wigged" skin is 

 way below par, and never taken unless fear of not getting the quota for 

 the season, impels the clubbing of them. These young bulls vary 

 remarkably in this matter of being " wigged," or not, at the culmination 

 of their fourth year: just as young men at 18, vary as to having nuis- 

 taches and beard, or not. 



Therefore, since the finest skins are the 3-year and " smooth " 4-year 

 olds, the standard set for killing has been kept steadily at that mark: 

 and, unless a 2-year-old was unusually well grown, it and the yearling 

 male has not been clubbed at all, to speak of, until 1887-88. Then it 

 became absolutely necessary to kill a large portion of these smaller 

 seals, or fail to get the quota of 100,000 annually, since the larger seals 

 were missing (had been killed by the driving and clubbing of the pre- 

 ceding seasons). In 1889, in order to get the quota of 100,000, more 

 than half the entire catch icere '■'■lowf and '■'■shorf^ 2-year-olds ; more 

 tha7i 25,000 ''■long '''^ yearlings were talen for the frst time in the ivhole 

 period dating from 1870, the balance, some 20,000 only, being the prime 

 3-year and " smooth" 4-year old skins which have hitherto, prior to 

 1887, been the only ones taken , as a rule. 



Among the many bits of evidence as to the rapid elimination of the 

 holluschickie, which I gathered last season (1890), one of the most self- 

 asserting is the following statement of the percentage of rejection which 

 took place on these killing grounds of St. Paul in 1872-1874, contrasted 

 with that which I recorded last summer. The standard for 1872-1874 

 was 3 and " smooth" 4 year old skins (7-pound and 12-i)0und pelts) ; and 

 it teas not loivered. The standard for 1890, at the outset, was the same 

 until the 4th of July; then, the supply of those skins having practically 

 failed, the standard was drop2)ed on that day to '-'-long''^ 2-year-olds (5i 

 to CJ pound skins), and finally on the 18th to the 20th of July, the 

 days of the last killing permitted, the standard was again dropped so 



'A "long" 2-year-old is one that is well grown, or above the average size for that 

 age, i. e., 6-pound skins; a "short" 2-year-old is one that is under grown for its age; 

 i. e., a 5-pouud skin. The same classification is applicable and given to the year- 

 lings. 



