g THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



The robes and crown of the Queen and Royal Family, 

 and the state robes of the Peers are adorned with 

 Miniver this is the white skin of the Ermine pow- 

 dered or studded all over with black spots, made from the 

 skin of the black Astracan lamb, and the arrangement of 

 the spots shows the rank of the wearer. 



Ermine, with the black tails of the animals, is also much 

 used by ladies for muffs, tippets, &c. In the present free 

 and happy period we dress just as we like, but it was not 

 always so ; and thus we find that in the reign of Edward 

 III. none but members of the Royal Family were allowed 

 to wear ermine. We import upwards of 100,000 Ermine 

 skins into this country every year. 



The skin of the Sable Marten is, however, of the 

 highest value ; although it is small, its price is from three 

 to fifteen pounds each ; and hunting the animal is one of 

 the most difficult and dangerous of enterprises. The 

 animal lives principally in the wilds of Siberia, and the 

 Russians, having great necessity for furs, know full well 

 the value of the sable-skins, so that about 25,000 of them 

 are annually sold in that country, whilst between 2,000 

 and 3,000 are brought to this country. The Lord Mayor, 

 Aldermen, and Sheriffs of London have their robes lined 

 with sable ; and some of the best brushes used by artists 

 are made of the hair from the tail of this animal. 



The Skunks are termed " mephites," which word 

 means a noxious exhalation, for they emit a horrible 

 smell, which diffuses over a great distance. The whole of 

 the polecat family emit a most disagreeable odour, but 

 the Skunks surpass all their relations in this respect. 



The Otter seems to lead us to Amphibious Carnivora, 

 for it lives principally on fish, after which it swims and 

 dives in an exceedingly easy and swift manner. It has, in 

 fact, been tamed, and used for catching fish. The Otter 

 is still found in the British Isles, and we send about 500 



