74 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
other points. While the form of proposal used permitted bidders to 
designate the point where they proposed to deliver the material bid 
upon, the majority of proposals designated Seattle as the point of 
delivery. Of the proposals accepted all but two were for delivery. in 
Seattle. The business of making contracts in connection with the 
accepted proposals and the ordering and assembling of supplies were 
in progress at the end of the fiscal year. 
A shortage of certain supplies on the Pribilof Islands made it 
necessary to arrange for a small consignment during the winter 
season of 1914-15. Space was accordingly secured on the schooner 
Bender Bros., which left Seattle on February 27, 1915, for Alaskan 
points. The vessel arrived at St. Paul Island April 1 and at St. 
George Island the next day. The sending of a ship annually to the 
Pribilofs during the winter season should be done if practicable. A 
procedure of this kind would (@) permit supplying the islands with 
fresh provisions, (6) obviate any deficiency which might arise in the 
stock of staple supplies, (¢) effect the transfer of mail, and (d) afford 
a welcome relief to the Government employees from the enforced 
monotony of the long winter season. 
In accordance with the law, arrangements were made by the Coast 
Guard Service for the patrol of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering 
Sea during the season of 1915 by vessels of that service. The Unalga 
_ was designated to patrol the waters between Kodiak Island and the 
western end of the Aleutian Chain from the beginning of the season 
until July 15. The J/anning was designated to relieve the Unalga 
July 15 and patrol the Bering Sea until the end of September. The 
vessels were to visit the Pribilofs from time to time for the purpose 
of conveying mail from Unalaska to those islands. In June, 1915, 
the agent on St. Paul Island reported to the Unalga that there were 
evidences of poachers in the vicinity of that island (reports were also 
made by him directly to the Bureau) and a careful search was under- 
taken by that vessel, but with only negative results. 
MINOR FUR-BEARING ANIMALS. 
With the limited force and funds available, the Bureau has admin- 
istered as thoroughly as practicable the laws and regulations per- 
taining to the minor fur-bearing animals of Alaska, whose aggregate 
value and importance exceed the fur seal at present. The number of 
wardens for this service was increased from 5 to 7 in the fiscal year 
1915, and in addition thereto one special fur warden previously em- 
ployed was continued at a nominal salary. : 
In May, 1915, the Department approved a revision of the regula- 
tions for the protection of fur-bearing animals in Alaska as recom- 
mended by the Bureau; and under date of May 24, 1915, these 
regulations were issued (Department Circular no. 246, third edi- 
tion). The principal features of the new regulations are as follows: 
No change of seasons for the killing of fur-bearing animals was 
made; prohibition was placed upon the use of “ klips” and the steel 
bear trap or any other trap with jaws having a spread exceeding 8 
inches; no attempt was made to place restrictions upon the taking of 
fur-bearing animals alive, so long as no killing was involved; the 
shipping of live fur-bearing animals from Alaska was not inter- 
