101 



KNOWLEDGE 



[May 1, 1896. 



usually made up iuto inulTs and trimmings, arc chiefly 

 bought by the French and Russians ; the most costly of 

 all furs finding their way to Russia. 



Next in scarcity of the American varieties is the so- 

 called cress fox, taking its name from the transversa band 

 of darker liair across the shoulders ; the under surface 

 of the body and legs being black. Ordinary skins of 

 this variety sell at from one pound to two pounds ten 

 shilHngs ; but unusually dark-coloured specimens vary in 

 price from five pounds to seven pounds each. According 

 to Mr. Poland, the number of pelts that come annually 

 into the London market oscillates between five and 

 seven thousand. The commonest of all in America 

 is the red fox, in which the general colour is reddish 

 yellow, becoming grizzled on the hinder part of the 

 back. rrol)ably the Kamschatkan fox is identical with 

 this variety. 

 1'he trade in 

 American 

 red fox skins 

 is e nor - 

 mous, from 

 seventy to 

 ninety thou- 

 sand being 

 yearly sold 

 in London, 

 at prices 

 varying 

 from two to 

 sixteen shil- 

 lings each. 

 In the 

 earlier part 

 of the cen- 

 tury the 

 value was, 

 however, 

 considerably 

 greater. 

 Mr. Poland 

 states that 

 " red fox 

 skins are 

 mostly pur- 

 chased for 

 export to 

 Russia, Tur- 

 key, Greece, 

 Servia, Bul- 

 garia, and 



other Eastern countries, where they are used for trim- 

 mings, coats, e'c." 



Although in Britain but few pelts of the European fox are 

 saved, on the Continent there is a very large trade m them, 

 about one hundred and thirty thousand being sold annually 

 at Leipsic, acd some two hundred thousand at the Irbit 

 Fair in Siberia ; while the number collected yearly in 

 (rermany is stated to reach about half a million. Average 

 specimens sell at about two shillings. 



There is a considerable trade in the skins of the 

 Oriental foxes, although it is far from easy to determine 

 which species yields the maximum supply. Probably, 

 however, the greater number are the product of the 

 Himalayan fox, the so-called Caiiis iiiontanu^, which is, 

 however, only another variety of the common species. 

 This form has black under-parts, and not unfrequently a 

 dark cross mark on the shoulders. It is found from 

 Afghanistan throughout the Himalaya. Skins vary in 



value from eighteen pence to three shillings each ; and it 

 is stated that several thousands are imported to Leipsic by 

 way of Arabia, in addition to about a hundred thousand 

 through Nishin. In Kashmir and Cabul these skins sell at 

 aliout nine annas each ; and when a number are sewn 

 together they form a very warm and handsome carriage 

 nig. Although the fur of the small Indian desert fox {€. 

 Inini/iiis) — with which the Persian ( '. iiersicus is probably 

 identical— is short and of but little value, a small number 

 of skins are exported every year from Karachi. 



Very distinct from all the other members of the group 

 is the Arctic fox (('. liKid/Jint) : also known either as the 

 blue or the white fox, according as to whether it is in the 

 summer or the winter coat. From other foxes this species 

 difi'ers by having the soles of the feet thickly clothed with 

 hair, while it is further characterized by the bushiness of the 



tail. Some 

 writers ap- 

 pear to be 

 in doubt 

 whether a 

 blue fox 

 turns white 

 in winter, 

 but that this 

 is the case 

 is certain. 

 In the sum- 

 mer the 

 general hue 

 of the fur 

 is bluish, or 

 occasionally 

 brownish 

 grey. Dr. 

 M i V a r t 

 writes that 

 the change 

 from grey to 

 white "does 

 not, by any 

 means, in- 

 va riably 

 take place, 

 even in this 

 species. In- 

 d i V i d u a 1 s 

 seem often 

 to be met 

 Tlir Coyotf. withintheir 



native 

 haunts with their summer dress in winter, while others 

 remain entirely white the whole year round." Although 

 inhabiting all lands within the Arctic Circle, this fox ex- 

 tends a considerable distance south of the latter in both 

 hemispheres, but more so in the Eastern than iu the Western. 

 The white winter skins vary considerably in quality, those 

 from Alaska and Siberia being coarse-haired, whereas Green- 

 land and Labrador samples are finer. From Siberia it is 

 stated that between twenty and sixty thousand skins are 

 imported into Europe, most of them being sold at the fairs 

 of Irbit and Leipsic ; while about nine thousand cane to 

 hand in 1891 through the Hudson Bay and Alaska Fur 

 Companies, and nearly a thousand were obtained from 

 Greenland by a Danish company. The price per skin 

 varies from half a crown to about sixteen shillings and 

 sixpence. Blue fox is much more valuable, the prices 

 varying from about a pound to as much as fourteen or even 

 fifteen pounds per skin. A certain number of pelts are 



