FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 



17 



On St. George the record of seals driven and dismissed covers the 

 period from June 13 to July 31. In this time 3,065 seals were driven 

 and 2,295 killed, while 240 small, 343 large, and 187 marked seals 

 were released. The number killed represents 74 per cent of the 

 whole number driven, an increase of 11 per cent over the killings of 

 1909, when 63 per cent of those driven were killed. 



Seals Killed and Seals Dismissed from Drives on St. George Island, Season 



of 1910. 



Classification of Large Seals Dismissed from Drives on St. George Island, 



Season of 1910. 



It will doubtless be remarked that the percentage of seals killed in 

 1910 was greater than in the preceding year. The seals killed in 1910 

 were, however, neither larger nor smaller than those taken in 1909, 

 but conformed at least as closely to the prescribed ages and weights 

 as they did in 1909, the last year of the leasing system. Indeed, 

 when doubt arose, as often it does arise, whether a seal was of the 

 3-year-old (or killable) age or whether it was of the 4-year-old (or 

 prohibited) age, in 1910 the animal was allowed to escape, whereas 

 in 1909 it would have been killed. In this respect it may be said 

 that the killing in 1910 conformed even more closely to regulations 

 than that of 1909. 



Since the animals killed in 1910 were of the same class as those of 

 the preceding year, and since the rejections from the drives were 



