FUR SEALS AND OTHER LIFE, PRIBILOF ISLANDS, 1914. 1 29 



stock of hares for introduction, owing to the scarcity and wariness of the animal, would 

 be very great; it would be difficult if not impossible to protect these after their in- 

 • troduction, and even in the event of their becoming established, which is scarcely 

 possible, the islands would support only a limited number. The abnormally crowded 

 condition of fox life on the Pribilofs has already been alluded to, and this fact has a 

 sinister bearing on the practicability of adding to their food resources by introducing 

 small mammals among them. The introduction of any species of hares or rabbits, 

 therefore, can not be recommended. 



Ground squirrels. — The introduction of ground squirrels has been attempted on 

 two occasions, but neither has proven a success. In 1899 some were brought from 

 Unalaska and liberated on St. Paul, near the village. Their disappearance has been 

 attributed to cats, but whether they were eaten by cats or foxes is immaterial. 



In the summer of 191 3 the assignment of G. Dallas Hanna for work on St. George 

 Island afforded an opportunity to make another attempt, and 22 ground squirrels, 

 including both sexes and different ages, were captured at Nushagak. Of these, four 

 died from natural causes before their journey was begun. Various circumstances made 

 it impracticable to provide small cages for the animals, and they were shipped in a 

 single large crate. Although plentifully supplied with green food, they preyed on each 

 other, and while this tendency was overcome to some extent by supplying them with 

 meat, the stock of 18 had been reduced to 5 before they reached their destination. 

 These 5, an adult female and 4 young, including both sexes, were liberated near the 

 village on St. George Island in August. At least two survived the winter, and were 

 seen on several occasions in early May, 1914. They are not known to have been ob- 

 served later; during our visit in early August none were seen, and a careful search dis- 

 closed no positive evidence of their presence. It is doubtful if any survived the sum- 

 mer, and in view of the fact that numbers of foxes continually ranged in the vicinity of 

 the spot where they had been observed, the destruction of the squirrels would seem to 

 be inevitable. 



Although the two attempts which have been made to introduce ground squirrels 

 have failed, there is little doubt that the animals could be established if brought in 

 larger numbers and liberated in selected places where they could most easily find shelter 

 in small natural rock cavities and where the foxes were least abundant. -They are rapid 

 breeders, and once established they might increase. But the fact that they retire in the 

 autumn to deep underground burrows and would thus be unavailable as food during 

 the entire winter and early spring — in other words, during the only part of the year 

 when they would be needed by the foxes — seems to be an insuperable argument against 

 their becoming useful as a source of fox food. 



Muskrats. — The project of introducing muskrats on the islands has received consid- 

 erable consideration and has once been attempted, but without success. In the sum- 

 mer of 1913 G. Dallas Hanna captured seven muskrats near Nushagak for introduc- 

 tion on St. George Island. Unfortunately the animals preyed on each other during 

 transit until only one remained to be liberated, and this is not known to have sun.'ived 

 the winter. 



Perhaps the most important factor bearing on the chances of survival of this animal 

 is the suitability of the ponds where it must live. Those on St. George are believed to 



