108 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
St. George Island and early in December on St. Paul Island. The 
take for the season consisted of 211 blue-fox pelts and 18 white-fox 
elts on St. Paul Island and 209 blues and 2 whites on St. George 
sland, a total for both islands of 420 blues and 20 whites. These 
skins were consigned to Messrs. Funsten Bros. & Co., St. Louis, for 
sale in September, 1916. In the calendar year 1915 there were 
shipped from the Pribilof Islands 253 blue-fox skins and 40 white- 
fox skins. These skins represented the take for the 1914-15 season 
and, together with 256 blue-fox skins and 25 white-fox skins shipped 
from the islands in 1914, were sold at public auction on October 21, 
1915. The net proceeds of this sale amounted to over $56,000. The 
sale was very successful and many pelts brought unusually good 
prices. Five lots consisting of four blues each brought $1,092, $1,020, 
$1,012, $1,000, and $980, respectively. The white-fox pelts brought 
from $17 to $30 per pelt. 
The number of foxes that the island will support under existing 
conditions is limited, and the trapping of a certain number each sea- 
son, under the strict supervision of the agents, is beneficial to the 
herd. The natives are credited with supplies valued at $5 for each 
fox skin taken. 
COAST-GUARD PATROL AND THE NAVAL RADIO SERVICE. 
The usual efficient patrol of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea 
was maintained by the Coast Guard Service in the seasons of 1915 
and 1916 for the purpose of preventing pelagic sealing. The vessels 
of this patrol rendered invaluable assistance in carrying persons, 
mails, and supplies, to and from the Pribilof Islands. The agent on 
St. Paul Island in 1915 reported some evidences of illegal seal hunting, 
but no proof of such operations could be obtained. 
The North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 7, 1911, and the act 
of Congress giving effect to that convention, approved August 24, 
1912, permit certain Indians, Aleuts, or other aborigines dwelling on 
the Pacific coast of America north of latitude 30° to kill seals under 
certain restricted conditions. As far a3 is known, no seals were taken 
in accordance with these provisions in 1915. In 1916 several hun- 
dred skins were taken by Indians of the State of Washington, but 
complete details in regard to these skins are not. yet available. By 
far the larger proportion of the seals so killed are females. 
The Department is under obligations to the Navy Department for 
the continuous service which the latter has rendered in connection 
with the two radio stations on the islands. These stations make it 
possible to keep in prompt touch with conditions on the islands at 
all times of the year and permit the agents to send full reports of 
conditions and needs. Formerly the islands were cut off from com- 
munication with the entire world through the long winter season, 
when navigation in Bering Sea is closed. 
MINOR FUR-BEARING ANIMALS OF ALASKA. 
The laws and regulations for the protection of the minor fur- 
bearing animals of Alaska have been enforced by a corps of wardens, 
who have been constantly in the field, supplemented by members of 
the Alaska fishery service at such times as their regular duties would 
