HAJSTNA — MAMMALS OF ST. MATTHEW ISLANDS 
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Captain Lane, but at no other place on either island. Five carcasses were found 
on the beaches, all of young animals which had been crushed by the ice. I am 
led to believe that the majority of these animals which are washed ashore have 
been killed in this manner. Four carcasses came ashore on St. Paul Island and 
three on St. George Island during the winter of 1915-16, and examination of two 
of these proved that they had been crushed. Some floaters may occasionally 
come in after having been shot; but it seems that, since hunting is prosecuted 
at such a distance from the Pribilofs, their bodies would be somewhat decom- 
posed before they could float so far, even if the currents were favorable, which 
is unlikely. Occasionally pelagic hunters may come close by however and the 
shot animals might be found in a good state of preservation. 
Callorhinus alascanus. Fur Seal. — Fur seals were common up to within 
eight miles of St. Matthew Island in June, 1916. While the ship was endeavor- 
ing to reach the island eight animals in all were seen by me, and more were noted 
by the men on watch. I did not see more than two together. The presence of 
these animals here at this early season led me to believe that possibly a new 
hauling ground had been established on the St. Matthew group. Investigation 
of most of the St. Matthew coast line in July, however, revealed up signs of such 
a hauling ground nor were any animals seen in the waters of that vicinit 3 ^ 
Alopex hallensis. White Fox. — The white fox is fairly common on the reser- 
vation. Animals or evidences of them were seen at every landing. One adult 
female was collected, and two skulls were found. Two trappers spent the winter 
here in 1912-13 especially for this species and I heard from one source that their 
catch was almost worthless and from another that it was of considerable value. 
Their success is doubtful since the attempt has not been repeated. Undoubtedly 
the number of foxes ordinarily present depends on the food supply, which under 
natural winter conditions cannot be large. 
It has been proposed to lease St. Matthew Island for a fox farm, but as it is 
ice-bound for many months of the year, even to the middle of June, as in 1916, 
this would seem an unwise action. It would be impossible to procure food for 
a surplus of stock in winter without preying upon those forms of animals which 
at present it is desired to protect. An insufficiency of food would certainly lead 
to cannibalism among the foxes or to their wandering away on the ice pack. It 
would seem therefore that to grant a lease for a fox farm here would mean only 
an exclusive privilege of trapping the natural stock. If the time should come 
when the foxes would seem to be exterminating certain species of birds or other 
animals which it is considered of greater importance to perpetuate, then it will 
be time to take all foxes away from the island. Not until then should the natural 
balance be disturbed. 
It is understood that the two trappers who were on St. Matthew Island during 
the winter of 1912-13 kept a journal which is now in the possession of the Coast 
Guard Service in Washington. 
Thalarctos maritimus. Polar Bear. — In 1874, when Elliott and Maynard 
landed on St. Matthew in midsummer, polar bears were very abundant. There 
is a tradition that during the time of Russian occupation a party of five men from 
St. Paul Island landed on Hall Island where they built a cabin but had to leave 
it owing to the marauding of the bears. The remains of an old Russian house 
were found on that island. Captain Lane told me that bears were found up until 
