FUR-FARMING IN CANADA 65 
ishing. It is doubtful if an animal after gorging with so much meat 
would feed the next day, but it is known that certain foxes living in 
the vicinity of the village do come for food daily. 
“Qrass was found in 88 stomachs, feathers in 57, wild parsnip in 
12, fish bones in 8, bird or seal bones in 28, dirt or sand in 22, tunicates 
in 66, sea eggs in 4, and fox fur in 8. Seven stomachs contained only 
water, and 14 were empty. 
“The intestines varied in length from 64 to 10 feet, no 
alas difference being found in this particular between the sexes. 
On examination of the intestines of 240 foxes killed in 
trapping, grass was found in 62, feathers in 20, wild parsnip in 16, 
tunicates in 5. Neither of these things undergoes any apparent chemical 
change in the stomach or intestines, and can be identified upon evacua- 
tion in the excrement. Those small circular tunicates are swallowed 
without mastication and passed without digestion. Dirt was found in 
24 intestines, gravel in 11, bones in 12, fox fur in 10. Two varieties 
of intestinal worms were found in the intestines of 26. Specimens sent 
to Dr. Stiles were identified as species that affect domestic animals, and 
not particularly harmful. The distribution of the worms was general, 
all ages and sexes containing them. Excepting lice in the fur, these 
worms were the only parasites discovered. 
“The live weights of 198 males left for breeders varied 
hae between 10 to 20 pounds each. Of this number 180 
weighed between 10 and 134 pounds. 
“The live weights of 225 females varied between 7} and 113 
pounds. Of this number, 18 weighed less than 8 pounds and 13 over 
104 pounds. Of 180 males killed, 101 weighed 10 pounds and under, 
while 17 weighed over 13 pounds, the heaviest weighing 19} pounds. 
“Of 86 females killed, 55 weighed 8 pounds and under, and 9 
weighed 11 pounds, and over. The heaviest female killed weighed 134 
pounds, the lightest 44. 
“The average length of 180 male skins, after being dried and 
ready for shipment, was 30 inches plus; average breadth, 11 inches plus; 
average length of tail, 15 inches plus. 
“When the skins of male and female are placed side by side and 
compared, the fur of the former is generally found to be superior to 
that of the latter. As a rule, the fur of the two and three year old 
males is the choice of all. 
“ Assuming that the sexes are equal in number at birth, the evi- 
dence at my command tends to the conclusion that the males are more 
5 
