FUR 515 



polecat of Europe. Tho fur is a soft black, with two white stripes running from the 

 head to the tail. This fur is not much used in this country. 



KOLINSKY (Mustela Siberica). The Tartar sable, which is of a bright yellow 

 colour. It is sometimes used in its natural state, but is more frequently dyed brown 

 to imitate other sable, to which it bears a strong resemblance. It is remarkable for 

 the uniformity of its colour, having no spot or difference of shade in any part of the 

 body. Tho tail, which is of the same colour, is exclusively used for the best artist's 

 pencils. 



MUSK RAT or MUSQUASH (Fiber zibethictis), an inhabitant of the swamps and rivers 

 of America. About a million skins are brought to this country annually. The fur 

 resembles that of the beaver, and was used by hat manufacturers. The skins are also 

 dyed by the furrier, and manufactured into many cheap and useful articles. 



NUTRIA or COYPON (Myopotamus coypiis). This animal is larger than, but some- 

 what similar to, the musquash ; it inhabits the banks of rivers in Buenos Ayres and 

 Chili. But few of these skins are now imported. 



HAMSTER (Cricetus vulgaris), a native of Germany, where not less than 100,000 

 skins are annually collected. It has a poor, short, and coarse fur, which is almost 

 exclusively used for cloak linings by the Greeks. The colour of the back is a reddish 

 brown, the belly black, with a few light spots. 



PERWITZKY. The skin of this animal is marked like tortoise-shell ; it is brought 

 from the southern extremities of Asiatic Russia. It is chiefly used by the Russians 

 for cloak lining. 



BEAVER ( Castor American us). This beautiful fur is sometimes used for articles of 

 dress. In order to prepare the skin for this appropriation, the coarse hairs are re- 

 moved, and the surface cut by a very ingenious machine, somewhat similar to that 

 used in dressing cloth. The skin thus prepared has a beautiful appearance, not 

 unlike the costly South Sea otter, and has the advantage of durability and lightness. 



OTTER (Lutra mdgaris, Lutra Canadensis). Of the British otter about 500 skins 

 are collected annually. The large quantity used by the Russians and Chinese is 

 derived principally from North America. 



SEA OTTER (Enhydra marina). The sea otter has a very thick, soft, woolly fur, 

 and is most highly prized by the Russians and Chinese, to whom most of the skins 

 are exported. The animal is found in the North Pacific from Kamtschatka to the 

 Yellow Sea, on the Asiatic coasts, and from Alaska to California on the American coasts. 



SEAT. (Phoca). There are numerous varieties of these animals, which are found on 

 the western coasts of these islands, and in immense numbers on the shores of Labrador, 

 Greenland, and Newfoundland. The greater portions of the skins imported are 

 tanned and enamelled with black varnish for ladies' shoes ; other descriptions are well 

 adapted for fur. Before they can be used as a fur, it is necessary to remove the 

 very coarse hairs, which cover a beautifully fine and silky fur. By shaving the felt 

 to half its natural substance, the roots of the coarse hairs are cut through, and they 

 easily fall out, but the same effect is produced by the natural process of fermentation, 

 which ensues when the skins are properly prepared and allowed to remain together. 

 This fur is rarely used in its- natural state, but is dyed a deep vandyke brown, when it 

 has the appearance of the richest velvet. 



Fox. Of foxes' skins brought to this country there are many varieties ; the black 

 and silver foxes ( Vulpesfulvus, var. argentatus) from the Arctic regions are the most 

 valuable. They are purchased for the Russian market, being highly prized in that 

 country. The cross and red foxes are used by the Russians, Turks, and Greeks for 

 cloak linings and collars. The blue and white foxes are used in this and other 

 countries for ladies' dresses ; the white foxes (Vulpes lagopus)&rQ represented by arctic 

 travellers as exceedingly numerous, and emigrating in troops over the frozen seas at the 

 approach of the rigorous season. 



WOLVERINE ( CHtlo luscus). The glutton of old writers. The fur is generally a 

 dark brown, passing into a black in winter. 



BEAR ( Ursus). The skin of the black bear is used for military purposes, for rugs 

 and carriage hammercloths. The fur of the brown or Isabella bear ( Ursus habellinus) 

 has frequently been very fashionable in this country. 



The skins of the hare and the rabbit scarcely require notice. 



The SQUIBREL, especially the Siberian squirrel, is much sought for. It is said that 

 15,000,000 of these skins are annually collected in Russia, and of these, 3,000,000 are 

 sent to this country. 



CHINCHILLA (Chinchilla lamgera}. There are two varieties of Chinchilla, the pro- 

 duce of South America. Our chief supply is from Buenos' Ayres and Arica. The 

 skins from the former locality are of a silvery grey. Those from Arica are the darkest 

 and best coloured skins. 



RACOON (Procyon totor\ this fur is used for lining coats, 



LL 2 



