UTILIZATION OF THE SKINS OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



293 



closet, which is heated by steam pipes or a charcoal iiro. A number 

 of skins, with a quantit}' of line, cby, hard-wood sawdust, are placed in 

 each drum. The latter is revolved steadil}^ making- about 20 revolu- 

 tions per minute, and within three or four hours the dry sawdust 

 absorbs the grease, leaving the fur clean and soft l)ut filled with saw- 

 dust. 



The beating drum, also sometimes inclosed in a closet, has wooden 

 ends, and the .side or circumference of wire gauze, with meshes about 

 one-fourth inch square. Along the interior circumference are wire- 

 gauze shelves about 10 inches wide, which catch the pelts at the bottom 

 of the revolving drum and carry them nearly to the top, when they 

 slide off and fall against the wire gauze covering the circumference of 

 the drum. In this manner the pelts are cleaned of every particle of 

 sawdust. Many of the larger pelts are beaten with rattans for the 

 same purpose. 



After removing the sawdust and straightening the fur with a steel 

 coml), the dressing process is at an end. This general process would 

 suffice fairly well for all varieties of aquatic furs, but it is modified to 

 suit the characteristics of the diti'erent sorts. The special jnethods 

 applicable to each variet}^ are described at length in appropriate 

 chapters. 



Except "in case of very cheap skins, the expense of dressing furs rep- 

 resents only a small percentage of their value. The following tabular 

 statement shows the average charges that prevail in New York City for 

 dressing skins in quantities for the trade: 



Statement oj' avenuje dutrges prevailing in New York City for dre^aing (tquatic. furs. 



a Dres-sing, plucking, and dyeing, S5. 



With the exception of the fur-seal, the choicest furs of an}" particu- 

 lar species are rarely dyed. Indeed, their degree of excellence is 

 determined b}^ the nearness of their approach in the natural color to 

 the most desirable shade for that species. So important is this that a 

 skin of the proper tint may be worth three or four times as much as 

 one whose texture is equally fine but lacking just the right shade. For 

 instance, the present average value of prime dark sea-otter skins is 

 about $600 each, whereas the average price of prime brown skins is only 

 $:200. In case of mink, otter, and other choice species the difference is 

 as great in proportion. 



