Sey aT eee 
FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 103 
FOXES. 
The size of the blue-fox herds on St. Paul and St. George Islands 
remains fairly constant from year to year. The pelts generally 
become prime on both islands in the latter part of November and the 
pelage is at’its best in December. The general method of taking 
foxes for the pelts by means of a large wire cage operated in connec- 
tion with a house in which the animals are fed on St. George Island 
and by means of steel traps on St. Paul Island has been continued.? 
Increased efforts to eliminate the white foxes from the herds have 
been made by allowing the natives, beginning with the season of 
1915-16, the same credit for taking a white-fox pelt as for taking a 
more valuable blue-fox pelt. 
The killing of foxes in the season of 1915-16 was continued into 
January, 1916, on St. Paul Island only, 22 blue foxes and 1 white 
fox having been killed in that month. 
In the season of 1916-17 the killing of foxes was begun on St. 
George Island in November and on St. Paul Island in the latter part 
of December. Through December 31, 1916, 238 blue foxes and 2 
white foxes had been taken on St. George and 83 blues and 21 whites 
on St. Paul. Telegraphic advices indicate that for the season 150 
blue-fox pelts and 37 white-fox pelts were taken on St. Paul Island 
(including 1 blue and 1 white pelt taken from foxes found dead in 
February, 1917) and 417 blue-fox pelts and 2 white-fox pelts on St. 
George Island, or a total of 567 blues and 39 whites. These numbers 
make the season’s take the largest of any in recent years. 
Foxes supplied for breeding purposes.—In response to a request 
made by the Bureau of Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture, 
the Bureau of Fisheries agreed to furnish the Biological Survey with 
six pairs of blue foxes for use on an experimental fox farm located in 
the State of New York. The foxes were captured on St. George 
Island and were placed aboard the Bureau’s supply vessel for trans- 
portation to Seattle.- With the exception of two which died en route 
the animals were delivered at Seattle to an agent of the Bureau of 
Biological Survey. Along with these foxes there were shipped from 
St. George five other blue foxes, one of which died before reaching 
Seattle. 
REINDEER. 
In order that the herds may be brought mto more definite relation 
with the general organization of the Department’s activities on the 
islands, general plans for their future management were prepared 
early in 1916. The plans in part contemplate (1) the construction of 
suitable stone corrals, (2) the branding of animals, (3) the mainte- 
nance of a proper proportion of the two sexes, (4) the utilization of 
a Details of the method appear in Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 820, p. 112. 
