UTILIZATION OF THE SKINS OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



287 



and ^Ir. Joseph I'llman, the following estimate is made of the numl)er 

 of aiiuatie skins prodiu-cd in the United States and in all other countries 

 combined during the year 1900, and their value in the wholesale trade: 



Clnx-vjicd Matement of the product of aquatic fur >i in 1900. 



During the summer months the skins of most of the fur-bearing 

 animals are practically worthless, the thickest and finest part of the 

 fur Ijeing shed as warm weather approaches, growing again in the fall 

 to protect the animal in winter. This deterioration furnishes great 

 protection to the animals, their value in the summer pelage being so 

 small as to not warrant their capture. Furs in best condition are 

 designated "prime," and this state is indicated b}" the color of the 

 pelt. That of a prime skin is generally very light and clear, but as 

 warm weather approaches it becomes bluish and dark. Most aquatic 

 furs in the United States become prime about the middle of November 

 and remain so until March, but beaver and muskrat are not thoroughly 

 prime until late in December and are good until the last of April, while 

 the fur of the otter may be prime as late as the end of Ma3\ There 

 are two prominent exceptions to the general rule of taking fur-bearers 

 during cold weather only, viz, the sea-otter and the fur-seal. The fur 

 of the former is prime throughout the year, and the latter is taken 

 principall}' during the summer for convenience of capture. 



In addition to the protection afiorded b}^ the poor condition of the 

 pelage, many governments have interdicted the capture of certain fur- 

 bearing animals from a definite date in the spring to a fixed date in 

 the autumn. There' is no uniformity in these regulations in the dif- 

 ferent States and frequently in different counties in the same State. 



None of the aquatic fur-bearers is utilized to an}^ extent for food, 

 though the meat of the muskrat is used b}' some persons; nor are 

 these animals valuable except for the furs, which constitute the prin- 

 cipal, and in most instances the sole, object of their capture. 



^^'ith the exception of the taking of the fur-seals on the rookeries, 

 practically all the aquatic furs are obtained by a resort to skill and 

 stratagem. Many muskrat, mink, and otter are obtained by farmers 

 and villagers. During cold weather, when furs are prime, compara- 

 tively little work is done in rural sections, and thousands of men and 



