FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 95 
BRANDED SEALS AND AGE STANDARDS. 
In 1912, through the initiative of George A. Clark, 5,228 fur-seal 
pups were branded with an inverted T on the top of the head. Of 
these, 1,944 were males, 1,796 were females, and the sex was not 
recorded for 1,488. It may be supposed that half, or 744, of the 
latter were males, because the births of the sexes are generally 
believed to be equal. This would make the total number of males 
branded in that year 2,688. These animals have been reappearing 
upon the hauling grounds every year and much valuable information 
has been secured from them on the growth of fur seals. Some have 
been killed each year and the records secured have been published 
in this and corresponding reports for previous years. On the islands 
it has been the practice to record the length of the body, the gross 
weight after sticking, and the weight of the skin before salting. 
Each skin has been tagged, and after arrival at St. Louis the trade 
classification has been ascertained by experts in this work. 
In 1918 these seals were 6 years old. On St. Paul 23 were killed 
and on St. George 14, a total of 37. All were secured before the close 
of the sealing season on August 10, none being taken during the fall 
season. The records of these 37 branded seals are shown in the 
following table: 
RecorDs oF BRANDED 6-YEAR-OLD Mate Fur Seats KIntep ON THE PREBILOF 
IstANDS DuRING THE CALENDAR YEAR1918. 
Serial : 
Date of Carcass | Carcass Green-skin = - 
Has Le killing Island weight.a| length. weight. Trade classification.b 
Extra extra large. 
ig. 
Extra extra large. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Wig. 
-| Extra extra large, 
Do. 
Do. 
.| Wig. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Wig. 
Extra extra large 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Wig. 
_ Da. 
Wig. 
Do. 
Do. 
G6002'|.--. . Ge eee Ae Do. 
G 6003 | June 17,1918 Do. 
G 6004 | June 21,1918 Do. 
G 6005 | June 26,1918 Do. 
G 6006 |..... GO sncents.% Do. 
G 6007 | July 1,1918 Do. 
G 6008 |..... loLLe Do. 
6009 |..... do% ee. .- Extra extra large. 
G 6010 } July 5,1918 Wig. 
G 6011 }..... eee Do. 
G 6012 | July 31,1918 Extra extra large. 
a Seals were bled before being weighed. 
b For new trade classification names, see table, p. 98. 
