FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 627 



season, but formerly it occupied a much larger time and with a less 

 favorable result, so far as the quality of the skius was concerned. 



The annual catch of the Pribylov Islands since the opening of the 

 American management is given by Elliott as follows: 



Number of skins. 



1863 242,000 



1869 87,000 



1870 9,965 



1871 63,000 



1872 99,000 



1873 99,630 



1874 99,820 



1875 99,500 



1876 99,000 



1877 85,500 



1878 95,000 



1879 99,968 



1880 '.. 99,950 



1881 85,000 



1882 99,800 



1883 78,000 



Total 1,540,133 



The catch of the Kussiau Islands is as follows : 



Number of skins. 



1862 4,000 



1863 4,500 



1864 5,000 



1865 4,000 



1866 4,000 



1867 4,000 



1868 12,000 



1869 24,000 



1870 24,000 



1871 3,614 



1872 29,319 



1873 30,396 



1874 31,272 



1875 36,274 



1876 26,960 



1877 21,532 



1878 31,340 



1879 42,752 



1880 48,504 



1881 42,640 



1882 46,000 



1883 25,000 



Total 501,102 



After the skins are stripped from the Seals they are packed in salt, 

 and stowed in suitable buildings for about three weeks, after which they 



