68 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 
tuberculosis in 1906, and one of perforation of the stomach caused by 
an ulcer in 1907. In that year he killed four that were suffering from 
mange, and in 1908, Major Clark killed nine that he found afflicted 
with the same disease. 
“An unusual number of dead on St. Paul island the winter of 
1902-03, taken in connection with symptoms of mania noticed by Mr. 
Lembkey, led him to believe that an epidemic of some sort affected the 
foxes that year. 
“When foxes starve to death a dark discharge issues from the 
anus. 
“Statistics of the catches prior to 1840 are not available. 
For the 19 years ending with 1860 the average annual 
catch for St. George island was 1,278. 
“For the 19 years ending with 1889, according to figures kindly 
furnished me by the Alaska Commercial Company, the former lessees 
of the sealing privileges, the average annual yield was 1,074. 
“The following table shows concisely the entire trapping since 
steel traps were abandoned, which is coincident with the inauguration 
of regular feeding. 
Yield of 
Fox Skins 
/ 
BLUE Foxes TRAPPED 
RELEASED 
NUMBER OF TRAPPINGS! Killed, AS BREEDERS *Total 
ine. white trapped 
Fox house | Elsewhere Male Female 
1897-98..... 11 i 346 102 324 772 
1898-99... . 7 386 110 389 885 
1899-00... . 9 418 65 498 981 
1900-01.... 24 7 441 204 690 1,335 
1901-02.... 24 9 246 202 650 1,098 
1902-03.... 28 21 dll 250 250 1,011 
1903-04... . 28 21 491 284 286 1,061 
1904-05... 38 3H 272 244 250 766 
1905-06... . 43 22 481 279 302 1,062 
1906-07.... 36 31 380 232 270 882 
1907-08. ... 446 267 272 1,005 
*Occasionally the column, “total trapped,” includes skins of animals found 
dead. 
“During the first three years shown in the above table, the work 
was under the supervision of the government agents, the next five un- 
der that of the company agents, and, since 1906, again under the gov- 
ernment agents. The ebb and flow in fox life as shown by the trapping 
is capable of explanation, but the details cannot here be considered. 
