46 
FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA, 1909. 
The supply of seal meat at the village became exhausted April 9, 
1909, but the feeding of cod continued daily until May 1 , at which time 
the birds arrived in such numbers as to render further feeding unneces- 
sary. The total amount of food known to have been consumed by 
the foxes is as follows: 
Pounds. 
Salt cod 4,146 
1,030 salt seal carcasses 25,750 
Offal of 400 seals 4,500 
Total 34,396 
The total catch for the season was 779 blue and 10 white foxes. 
From these were selected for breeding purposes 198 blue males and 
223 blue females, leaving 230 blue males, 137 blue females, 4 white 
males, and 6 white females to be killed. The foxes selected for 
breeding were, without exception, the finest lot that have thus far 
come under my notice. No male weighing less than 10 pounds was 
saved, and no female of less than 7 \ pounds. Most of the males 
weighed 11 pounds or over, and by far the larger number of females 
tipped the scales at 8 pounds or over. No lame, blind, old, or 
decidedly off-color foxes were preserved. In fact, so rigid was this 
selection that the end of the season found the number saved for 
breeders considerably less than usual. This, however, seems to be of 
small moment, as the number of foxes that did not pass through 
the traps at all is this year unusually large. A dozen foxes have 
been counted about the village, half of which were not branded, and 
this seems to be about the ratio of branded to unbranded met with 
at various points about the island. 
But two dead foxes were found during the entire year. Autopsy 
failed to show cause of death. About a dozen mangy foxes were 
observed. All of those that were caught were destroyed, and the rest 
unquestionably perished during the severe weather that prevailed in 
March and April. A fox denuded of its fur would have little chance 
to survive the terrible blizzards and cold of these months. 
Of the 367 blue and 10 white skins taken this year the company 
accepted 357 blue and 10 white. Eight blue were rejected, and 2 
mangy skins that were absolutely worthless were destroyed. In 
payment for the skins accepted ($5 for each blue and $1 for each 
white) the sum of $1,795 has been credited on the company’s books 
in favor of the native inhabitants of the islands and is available for 
their support. 
ST. PAUL ISLAND. 
While a slight increase in the number of foxes on St. Paul was 
noted, there were not enough present to justify trapping, although 
the natives were anxious to get some skins and spend the cash for 
firearms. The increase in foxes on this island since the epidemic 
