162 THE BEAVER 
similar pelts. ‘‘As a rule, those which frequent clear- 
water streams have a better color than is the case with the 
summer inhabitants of very muddy rivers having their 
source in or beyond the Rocky Mountains and flowing 
through a sandy clay soil. The skins of such beaver are 
usually of a rusty brown color, with the inner fur of a lighter 
hue, and are certainly in appearance inferior to their cleaner- 
furred brethren and must therefore realize lower prices in 
London.”’ 
CASTOREUM 
While of course it is not a fur, castoreum has always been 
traded in by the fur buyers, and the amounts handled may 
well be treated in this chapter. The following figures taken 
from MacFarlane show the amounts handled by the Hud- 
son’s Bay Company in part of its territories: 
pounds 
Mackenzie River District (1863 to 1881).................. 6,251 
id: Athabasca: (1858 to 1884) oi es eck i ee 18,904 
Average of Mackenzie River (1886, 1887 and 1889)...... 54 
Average of Athabasca (1885 to 1889).............20ce0e 211 
There was much falling off in the eighties, the result of 
“free trade.” 
David Mills informs me that there has been no market 
for beaver castors since 1914. In December, 1923, 1800 
pounds were offered in London by Lampson’s, and about 100 
taken. In New York absolutely no movement has taken 
place. Ten years ago they brought $10 to $20 a pound at 
London, but now (March, 1924) the owners are holding for 
but $4 to $6 per pound. It is possible a few small sales 
might be made at $2.50. Really no “price” exists and fur 
buyers quote no prices for beaver castors. There are about 
six pairs of castors to the pound. 
A book called ‘Castorologia’’ was published in 1685, 
which was a treatise on the medico-chemical uses of the 
