86 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1915. 
The foregoing table is especially interesting when compared with the similar one 
for 1914.¢ In neither is there any apparent regularity in the increases and decreases. 
That the cows are governed by no absolute law in choosing their rookeries seems cer- 
tain. One small rookery made a phenomenal growth of 80 per cent. Tolstoi, a large 
one, increased 17 per cent, while Vostochni, the largest rookery on the islands, in- 
creased only 6.45 per cent. These are conditions which can not be accounted for with 
the information at present available. 
Mortality of pups.—The following table shows the percentages of dead pups found 
on the rookeries at the time of the count. Not over half a hundred had recently died. 
The majority had been dead long enough to be partly decomposed and gave evidence 
that trampling and crushing between bowlders had caused their death. The greatest 
mortality seems to occur at the height of the breeding season; that is, at the time the 
pups are being born. Only a small percentage seemed to have died a natural death. 
NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF DEAD Pups IN 1915. 
Percentage of 
dead. 
Rookery. Total Dead 
1915. 1914. 
ST. PAUL ISLAND. 
5G [hoy PR ete ei ms coe a ee eee SC en ee atc sn ra a SME ri = 2,475 46 1. 86 2.2 
agleatin = So sot peta Se ote ae hats Seino aa sia aie Sa ee eee ee Serer 1, 954 28 1.43 3.9 
GONDat Ce ae Se nee cee eee eee Ren ee ae ork a he aes Seem 6,978 96 1.37 1.3 
MAT ISUGEI Scere eee CEES cio clears ewes beta onad Moke ee ema oat 632 9 1.42 1.6 
ae”) (Re SE SR ft a: ea eee arn ih ei 14, 750 244 1.65 ToD) 
Sivaltch ee. fae eae a Seale Rae Sea > rare Ue eR a apa eh a 4,535 56 1.23 1.6 
MAROON eS Oe Fee Spe ea es Nc ers a 2. eked he on Se eT 394 7 1.78 BD 
PN OISbOL: © OE loo. OR PE re a eel ee Pe eet Eke as Ae ae 11, 623 122 1.05 120 
PASS OS) 6 Wake pesca gee a At a ee lS eee og sl eZee x Uap dag ye ah A 8, 740 192 2.19 1.6 
ible Zanad nt 46 ery. ote sees oe eee A ao Re ee eee Ree ee 5, 682 96 1.69 15) 
PAH areKo hab hs aieysy ames IEE Bene ei Pea ae See are a Pete ae ears ae Cee 219 3 1.37 1.4 
Polowminasssi) Sess ek ee ee ee See 4,161 72 Se) 1.9 
i Olona GES 28 Fae tos oat Re Re ee ae re ee hee Dae 1, 553 9 58 1.2 
ittlonPologing- 25k sos Ee ee a ee een Cece Sey Aaa 1, 065 12 as 1.8 
ALOR Ovde by. HOLE Sea teL SEE AE 2 Like So sinbbctelwaveine See he eels eee 2,395 38 1.58 1.8 
MOSGOCH IESE ayer eee SUE eae a eS ee Cee ee ae Ree ae oe 20, 981 577 2.75 2.5 
Totals Se a ut Bie ORIEN RARE M Re Ua a, an ea S813 7A G0Te| py, 1.82 1.9 
ST. GEORGE ISLAND 
IN Orths he ca tN Soe oe he Oe ae ele ee ee Eee eee ee eae 5, 731 109 1.90 pea 
EL TENE ig Woe Wig 2) Co a) Ae Yn A te or 4,450 53 1.19 1.4 
AAPA. 52) SS Be OU ED Won sew ee oie ee aut e an eel aaa 989 11 1.11 oi 
SOUth YS oe et ANSE. EEG OS ee Ate Seen oe ee eee ZG i Pecttec Sasser. [4/2 b2 Lace 
Bast; Reet. as bbl ok Gabo: Ee ee eye ten ee 1, 047 3 28 .8 
Bast Clifis:- 22 EEE. i Pa Ge ee ee eMe eee eee OP REE ROLE memes 3,147 28 89 to 
Motale..s cs ee a Pee eee Be Al i ee 15,390 204 1.32 1.5 
Geil Paw lTsland te Wh 2 Bait Be eae te ehh ee aes alae oe Seviameeor. | 1.82 1.9 
St.George Island@t U .2k Bei DO ee ee tal Sa ee Cee eee 15, 390 204 1.32 1.5 
otal, bothvislands: f4tus ys tec.2i.kesbe tet oecese sce eeeeeeee er 103,527 | 1,811 1.74 1.8 
The percentages for 1915 when compared with these for 1914 show there was a slight 
decrease in the death rate. The 1914 percentages are inserted in the table to make 
comparisons easy. Only on Vostochni is there a constant high death rate. This is 
doubtless due, as the 1914 investigation has indicated, to the proximity of enormous 
hauling grounds. As Hutchinson Hill fills up with breeding seals this loss may 
decrease. 
_ No starving pups were seen, and no evidences of Uncinaria ravages were apparent. 
A considerable number of pups with the mange were seen on all the rookeries. As 
some bulls, cows, and bachelors, had it also, it may be advisable to gather statistics in 
1916 upon the approximate number afflicted. It did not seem to affect the pups 
@ Bureau of Fisheries document no. 820, p. 44. 
