30 



FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA IN 1910. 



CONDITIONS AND TRAPPINGS ON ST. GEORGE ISLAND. 



On St. George Island, during the winter of 1909-10, the feeding of 

 foxes in the herd during the period from October 20 to June 1 was 

 continued as in former years. Seal carcasses preserved from kill- 

 ings during the summer formed the greater portion of the material 

 fed, together with about 3,000 pounds of salted codfish freshened in 

 sea water. 



For some reason, not ascertained exactly, a smaller number of 

 foxes passed through the house and box traps during the winter in 

 question than ever before since feeding the foxes and selective trap- 

 ping began. Whether this is the result of an actual diminution in 

 the herd, or whether other conditions, such as an abundance of food 

 outside the traps or an instinctive fear of entering the traps, were the 

 cause, can not be stated definitely. 



During the winter of 1909-10 only 335 foxes passed through the 

 traps on St. George Island. To show the smallness of this number 

 as compared with former years, a table with the total number of 

 foxes handled in the various years during which selective trapping 

 has been followed is given below: 



1898-99 842 



1899-1900 973 



1900-1901 1, 335 



1901-2 1,104 



1902-3 1,011 



1903-4 1,061 



1904-5 766 



1905-6 1,061 



1906-7 882 



1907-8 1, 006 



1908-9 798 



1909-10 335 



In trapping, the practice is to catch all animals alive, to release as 

 breeders a certain number of pairs of the most vigorous, and to kill 

 those that are not considered the best examples of the species. 

 Those released are marked, so as to be thereafter recognizable, by 

 clipping a ring out of the hair on the tail of the animal, the marks 

 differing for the sexes. Such foxes as escape being trapped, not 

 being marked of course, can be distinguished at sight. 



No such number of foxes not marked was seen in the winter men- 

 tioned as to lead unquestionably, to the conclusion that the herd has 

 not diminished. There are, on the other hand, good grounds for 

 believing that it has diminished. The causes of this probable fact, 

 however, are obscure and conjectural. The very few found dead did 

 not justify the belief that any epidemic had occurred. 



A summary of the statistics of trapping on St. George Island 

 during the winter of 1909-10 is appended: * 



Marked and released : 



Blue males 51 



Blue females 57 



