INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 773 



classifications, for instance, for the "small pups" they allow a 

 sliding scale of 4 inches to cover the size of the "small pups" in 

 length, and they allow a sliding scale of 2 inches for the girth, in taking 

 the measurements. 



Mr. McGuire. What do you mean by a sliding scale? 



Mr. Elliott. From 34 inches down to 30, every skin which meas- 

 ures that in length, goes into the classification of "small pups." 



Mr. McGuire. Then a small pup skin, according to their measure- 

 ments in London, might be 4 inches longer than another ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. And it also might be 2 inches broader than another? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. And then it goes in the small pup classification? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, that is so; it would be a freak skin if it were 2 

 inches broader again, or say, 4 inches broader than the type. 



Mr. McGuire. But that would go into the "small pup" classifi- 

 cation? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, it would, even then. 



Mr. McGuire. Then the reverse of that would be true? 



Mr. Elliott. No. 



Mr. McGuire. That a skin 4 inches shorter than another skin and 

 2 inches narrower than another skin would go into the small pup 

 classification? 



Mr. Elliott. Undoubtedly they .would put them there. 



Mr. McGuiee. Have you ever taken a skin of that kind and com- 

 puted the number of square inches of difference in the two skins? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, it is very slight; you do not need to com- 

 pute it. 



Mr. McGuire. Have you determined the number of square inches 

 difference in the size of those skins — have you ever done that? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes: it does not amount to anything, and that is the 

 reason I did not do it when busy over the 400 skins last summer. 



Mr. McGuire. Well, suppose that one skin is 38 inches long,, and 

 that it is 22 inches in width ? 



Mr. Elliott. That is a freak. 



Mr. McGuire. Well, suppose that is true? 



Mr. Elliott. Oh, yes; you might stretch something out of size, 

 but the instant it was discovered it would go into the proper classi- 

 fication. 



Mr. McGuire. If a skin is 38 inches long, how wide would it 

 probably be? 



Mr. Elliott. About 26 inches. 



Mr. McGuire. Well-, we will take that, as that is not a freak? 



Mr. Elliott. No; but that would be if a skin 30 inches long — I 

 think you said 38 inches? 



Mr. McGuire. How wide ought that to be? 



Mr. Elliott. That ought to be about 26 inches wide or 28 inches 

 wide. 



Mr. McGuire. Thirty-eight inches long and 28 inches wide? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; 26 to 28 inches, that ought to be its average 

 girth — 26 inches. 



Mr. McGuire. We will take another skin, 34 inches long and 26 

 inches wide. Would that be in the same classification? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; 34 inches and 26 would go into small pups. 



