90 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 
ing on the coast of Washington. The North Pacific Sealing Con- 
vention of July 7, 1911, permits these Indians to take sealskins under 
certain restricted conditions, 
To July 31, 1918, the skins thus authenticated numbered 395. The 
records submitted show that 388 of the seals involved were taken in 
April, May, and June, 1918. Information as to when’ the other 7 
were captured is not stated but it is assumed that they were taken in 
the same months. The records also show that 251 of the seals were 
males, 142 females, the sex of 2 not being given. All of the seals 
were speared from canoes operating from 10 to 25 miles west of La 
Push, Wash. 
While it is regretted that so large a proportion of female seals were 
captured, yet so long as the Indians are to have the privilege of tak- 
ing seals it is not seen how the killing of females can be prevented. 
The Indians should undoubtedly continue to have the privilege which 
they now possess, and with the herd in its present condition the num- 
ber of females taken can not materially affect its status. 
CONDITION OF THE SEAL HERD. 
The census of the Alaskan seal herd in 1917 gave a total of 468,692 
seals of all ages. The census was again under the immediate charge 
of G. Dallas Hanna, of the Alaska service, who was assisted by 
Dr. Harold Heath and members of the islands staff. The 1918 cen- 
sus, although taken in the early part of-the fiscal year 1919, should 
be noted in this report. It was made under the same circumstances 
as formerly, Mr. Hanna in charge and Dr. Heath assisting. The 
number of pups born was 143,005, representing an equal number of 
breeding cows, and the total strength of the herd as of date of 
' August 10 was computed to be 496,611, exclusive of 33,881 seals 
killed for commercial purposes during the year. The only variation 
from former methods of calculation was to increase from 124 to 20 
per cent the annual natural mortality among the bulls, a course which 
appeared to be justified by information gained during this census. 
The great preponderance of old male seals, resulting from the 
enforced suspension of commercial sealing for five years, is the only 
unsatisfactory feature of the herd. The breeding males on the 
islands in 1918 were sufficient for a herd of 740,000 cows, allowing 
30 cows to a harem. 
SALES OF PRIBILOF ISLANDS PRODUCTS. 
During the fiscal year 1918 the revenue derived from the sale of 
products of the Pribilof Islands was $417,815.20 gross and $296 228.85 
net, the difference being largely in the cost of dressing and dyeing 
sealskins before their sale at public auction. There were two sales 
of sealskins, in October, 1917, and April, 1918, the number disposed 
of being 9,339 and the gross receipts $379,392. Fox skins, taken 
during the winter of 1916-17, were sold in October, 1917, 567 being 
blue and 39 white; the gross receipts therefrom were $35,680.50. 
Two lots of old seal bones, aggregating 193,570 pounds, brought 
$2,742.70 gross, 
