FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA, 1909. 45 
FOXES. 
ST. GEORGE ISLAND.® 
In point of numbers the fox catch this year was extremely unsatis- 
factory, being smaller than at any time since 1904-5. There can 
be little doubt, however, that this falling off was due not to any 
diminution of the herd but to the peculiar conditions of the weather. 
There was practically no snow on the ground up to February 1, 
while during the latter part of November, the whole of December, 
and the greater part of January, the entire trapping season, in short, 
rain fell constantly, the beaches were open, and vast congregations 
of sea quail, sometimes acres in extent, covered the sea in close 
proximity to the land. Numbers of these birds seemed to be suffering 
from some distemper, which rendered them helpless, and they were 
cast ashore, attracting the foxes to the beach instead of to the traps 
for food. It was only by constant trapping that the catch was saved 
from utter failure. 
Trapping was begun November 19, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, 
and by 8 o’clock that night 234 foxes had been captured in the three 
traps, the largest catch handled in one night since the present method 
of trapping was established. Only one more large catch, of 74, was 
secured, however, the remainder of the total being secured in small 
lots. Early in February the foxes began to change color and lose 
their fur in spots, and on February 12 so marked had these changes 
become that trapping was discontinued. 
During the sealing season of 1908 all the carcasses of seals killed 
and not consumed by the natives were salted down for fox food, 
the company providing the necessary salt for the purpose. The 
company also furnished, as required by contract, 12 tons of salted 
fish. In addition to this there was a large amount of salt fish on 
hand from previous years. This, however, was not used, nor indeed 
was all that was supplied this season. 
The feeding of salt cod was begun October 5 and continued until 
November 17, when seal meat was added. During the month of 
October but little of the food put out was eaten. The foxes for some 
unknown reason do not take kindly to salted cod. This was remedied 
somewhat, however, by soaking a number of seal carcasses in each 
batch of cod, which treatment seemed to give a piquancy to the cod 
and render it more acceptable to the foxes. From December 28 to 
January 21, however, but a small fraction of the seal meat fed was 
eaten, and there were but very few days during the entire winter 
that the quantity of food put out was not in excess of that consumed. 
a The report on the foxes of St. George Island was prepared by Mr. H. D. Chichester, assistant agent in 
charge of that island during the season of 1908-9. 
