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. 



" Grass 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 23, 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 6^ to 10 feet, no 

 Intestines 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 undergo 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 wag 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 



Physical 



Characteristics between 10 and 20 pounds each. Of this number 180 

 weighed between 10 and 13^ pounds. 



" The live weights of 225 females varied between 7^^ and 11^ 

 pounds. Of this number, 18 weighed less than 8 pounds and 13 over 

 lOVi pounds. Of 180 males killed, 101 weighed 10 pounds and under, 

 while 17 weighed over 13 pounds, the heaviest weighing lO^X pounds. 



" Of 86 females killed, 55 weighed 8 pounds and under, and 9 

 weighed 11 pounds, and over. The heaviest female killed weighed 13^ 

 pounds, the lightest 4^. 



" 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 tlie 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 evid- 

 ence at my command tends to the conclusion that the males are more 



