CAT-SKINS IN COMMERCE. 169 
electrical, giving off sparks which in a dark room are easily 
visible. 
In this place a few particulars, taken from the same work, 
may be given in regard to the commercial value and uses of 
the skins of some of the species of Cats already noticed. In 
the case of the Lion, a fine black-maned skin may be worth 
from £50 to £70; whereas yellow-maned, or menagerie, 
skins will not fetch more than from £5 to £30; those of 
Lionesses selling at from tos. to 30s. The value of a Tiger- 
skin is much less, a good Bengal specimen being obtainable at 
from £4 to 46; while the claws vary in value from od. to 5s. 
Some idea of the enormous numbers in which these animals 
exist, may be gathered from the statement that in the year 
1886 no less than 1,464 Tigers are reported to have been 
killed in British India alone. The Siberian Tiger is, however, 
much more valuable, Mr. Poland stating that skins will fetch 
from £10 to 440; while as much as £66 has been paid for 
an unusually fine specimen. Upwards of 135 of these skins 
were imported into this country in 1891. 
Leopard-skins, of which a few thousands are annually im- 
ported into England, vary in value from 12 to 52 shillings 
each. They are extensively used as housings by some of our 
cavalry regiments, while they are also made into rugs, foot- 
muffs, wrappers, slippers, &c. Ounce-skins are more valuable ; 
the price generally ranging from £2 to £6 tos., although £7 
has been paid for a particularly fine one. Black Leopard-skins 
are always highly prized. No details are given by Poland 
regarding Jaguar-skins ; but he states that Puma-skins are only 
worth about five shillings each, their chief use being for 
wrappers or rugs. The handsome skins of the Clouded 
Leopard, on the other hand, sell for between 43 and £4 
each ; while those of the Ocelot vary from 2s. to 4s. 6d. 
None of the other smaller Cats are of much commercial im- 
