340 



THE FUR REALS OF THE PRnJILOF ISLANDS. 



In our investigations of the past two seasons we found these little animals objects 

 of much interest. They live in the crevices and interspaces of the castle-like masses 

 of angular bowlders that crown the various headlands of the islands. Tliese head- 

 lands are also the home of the myriads of sea birds which frequent the islands. 



In our visits to certain rookeries of St, Paul the peculiar rasping cry of these 

 little animals as they caught sight of us soon became a familar sound. After a few 

 visits to the Eeef on St. Paul, a pair of these foxes regularly followed us about over 

 the parade ground, dogging our footsteps and at times snapping at our heels. The 

 animals are protected from molestation and annoyance in the summer; as a result of 

 this immunity they grow overbold and imimdent. 



The natives are allowed to take the foxes only in traps during a short period in 

 midwinter when the fur is in the best condition. From our limited opportunities for 

 studying the animals it would seem that they breed in pairs, bearing scvernl young at 

 a birth, and that the time of bringing forth the young is in June or July. On the 

 L'Oth of June two of the little foxes, which appeared to be about a week old, were seen 

 playing about the mouth of a fox burrow at Northeast Point. They were so tame that 

 they could be handled like kittens. 



Of the past history of these animals we have but little data beyond the account 

 of Ivan Petroft, just quoted. As to the importance of the herd of blue foxes on the 

 Pribilof Islands, we may gain some knowledge from the statistics of the furs ))ur- 

 chased by the Pussian-American Company during the period irom 1842 to 1800; also 

 given in Pctroff's report. From this we may take the following summary: 



Arctic foxes purchased by the Kiissian-American Company from the Pribilof Islands, 184Z-1SG0. 



Dale. 



St. I'aiil. 



St. George. 



Date. 



St. I'aiil. 



St. George. 



1842 



1843 

 1844 

 1845 

 1846 

 1847 

 1848 

 1849 

 1850 

 1851 

 1852 



505 

 515 

 394 

 365 

 528 

 515 

 461 

 519 

 519 

 517 

 645 



1,491 

 1,377 

 1,343 

 1,366 

 1,418 

 l,:i54 

 1,298 

 1,069 

 1,073 

 1,263 

 1,477 



1853 

 1854 

 18!>5 

 1856 

 18.57 

 18.58 

 1859 

 1860 



641 

 624 



1,238 

 1,291 

 1,123 

 1,145 

 1,198 

 1, .555 

 1,296 

 911 



.514 

 1,417 

 558 

 619 

 625 



Toti 



ll 34,767 



For the period between the transfer of the fur-seal islands in 1<S(»7 to the United 

 States and the year 1880, J*etroff gives a total of 27,731 foxes as taken from Alaskan 

 sources, doubtless including others in addition to those taken from the Pribilof 

 Islands. lie remarks that these returns are iiicomi)lete and "necessarily below the 

 real figures." 



In recent years the catch of blue foxes has diminished. In so far as we have been 

 able to get tlie returns, it is as follows: 



nine foxes taken on the Pribilof Islands, IS90-IS90.' 



Season. 



St. Paul. 



St. George. 



Season. 



St. Paul. 



St. George. 



1890-91... 

 1891-92... 

 1892-93... 

 1893-94... 



505 

 nil. 

 438 

 nil. 



793 

 nil. 

 875 

 nil. 



1894-95... 

 1895-96. . . 

 1896-97... 



nil. 

 467 

 176 



nil. 



•'33 

 497 



Total. 



3,784 



' These flgnre.s were fnrnislicd by the North Ameri<ran Coniinercial Company. 



'The taking of i'oxes on St. George in this .season was .-itopped Ijy tlie Treasury agent. 



