88 



ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1919. 



nose to the root of the tail. The following table shows the figures 

 used for determining the ages of male seals: 



Age Standards of Body Lengths op Seals. 



Ages of Seals Killed on Pribilof Islands. Calendar Year 1919. 



Age. 



Yearlings 



2-year olds 



3- year olds 



4-year olds 



5-year olds 



6-year olds 



7-year olds and over . 

 Cows a 



Total. 



Summer (Jan. 1-Aug. 10), 

 1919. 



St. Paul. 



4 



123 



12,983 



2,020 



1,118 



2,089 



3,652 



38 



22,027 



St. 

 George. 



71 

 2,059 

 370 

 141 

 124 

 586 

 3 



3,354 



Total. 



4 



194 

 15,042 

 2,390 

 1,259 

 2,213 

 4,238 

 41 



25,381 



Fall (Aug. 11-Dec. 31), 

 1919. 



St. Paul. 



7 



60 



594 



38 



35 



300 



980 



12 



St. 

 George. 



154 



226 



28 



2 



Total. 



7 



214 



820 



66 



37 



300 



980 



16 



2,440 



Grand 

 total. 



11 



408 

 15,862 

 2,456 

 1,296 

 2,513 

 5,218 

 57 



27,821 



o The few cows reported above, about one-fifth of 1 per cent of the total take, shown in the table, were 

 accidentally and unavoidably killed. Every possible effort is made to avoid the killing of cows, but per- 

 sons familiar with conditions at the islands will readily appreciate that once in a great while a cow is killed. 



CENSUS. 



Following the practice of previous years a census of the fur-seal 

 herd was taken in the summer of 1919. The increase in size of the 

 herd from year to year renders it increasingly difficult to enumerate 

 the animals and each year resort must be had to approximations and 

 estimates to a greater extent than before. The difficulties can be 

 eliminated to some degree by the erection of observation stations and 

 perhaps the construction of walkways tlirough the rookeries. The 

 Bureau will take steps to bring about improvements of this character 

 as soon as possible. Full information in regard to the census of 1919 

 is contained in the report, printed on pages 106 to 117, by Dr. G. Dallas 

 Hanna, who was in immediate charge of the census work. 



The following is a comparative statement of the numerical strength 

 of the various elements of the herd in the years 1912 to 1919, inclusive: 



General Comparison of Recent Censuses of the Seal Herd. 



