May 1, 1896.] 



KNOWLEDGE, 



105 



obtained from Iceland, where the species retains its " blue" 

 tint throughout the year ; but the entire out-turn is 

 comparatively small, the number exported by the American 

 companies in 18!)1 being a little over three thousand, 

 while in the same year the Danish company accounted for 

 about one thousand four hundred. In the Pribylov Islands 

 the Arctic fox subsists chiefly upon young seals and 

 sea-birds and their eggs. The white skins are largely 

 employed in the natural condition for wrappers and rugs ; 

 and when dyed black or brown are manufactm-ed into 

 muffs or used for trimmings, in imitation of silver fox. 

 The tails are also made up into boas. 



Of the other foxes the 

 one of most commercial 

 importance is the Vir- 

 ginian, or grey fox, of 

 North America (C. (/'- 

 f/iniiinm), taking its name 

 from the general dark 

 grey hue of the fur. Mr. 

 Poland states that in 1891 

 over twenty-five thousand 

 grey fox skins came into 

 the London market, which 

 realized from sixpence to 

 four and sixpence each. 

 This, however, is one of 

 the furs that of late years 

 has gone out of fashion, 

 since considerably higher 

 prices were formerly paid. 

 In habits the grey fox 

 differs considerably from 

 the common species, as 

 when hunted it always 

 runs in a circle, instead of 

 in a straight line, and 

 when hard pressed will 

 not unfrequently seek re- 

 fuge by running up the 

 stem of some sloping tree. 

 In spite of its soft and 

 thick fur, the smaller 

 American kit fox (C. relo.v), 

 characterized by the light 

 grey colour of the back, the 

 yellowish flanks, and the 

 white under-parts, is of 

 still less importance from 

 a commercial point. But 

 few skins now come into 

 the market, and these 

 realize only from eight- 

 pence to a little over two 

 shillings each. Although 

 sometimes dyed black 

 they are chiefly employed, 

 for the cheaper kinds of fur wi'aps. 



Of the South African forms, the only one of which skins 

 come into the market appears to be the asse fox (C. rhnmfi), 

 which is a somewhat long-eared species, intermediate in 

 character between the typical foxes and those small very 

 long-eared forms known as " fennecs." I'.ven of this species 

 only a few skms are imported into Europe, and there 

 appears to be no regular price quoted. In parts of South 

 Africa its skins are used by the natives for making their 

 cloaks or karosses. 



South America is the home of several small species of 

 the genus Canis commonly spoken of by the English 



Malayan Bear. 



settlers in that country as foxes. They differ, however, 

 from the true foxes in several characters of the skuU, and 

 belong to a different group of the genus. Although they 

 have in general good fur, but very few skins find their way 

 into Europe, and such as do so sell at between one and 

 two shillings each. Probably the majority belong to 

 Azara's fox (C. ii'.arm), which is one of the commonest of 

 the Argentine species. 



A very remarkable member of the canine family is the 

 so-called raccoon-dog [C. procijonides), from -Japan and 

 other parts of North-Eastern Asia, which derives its name 

 from its curious superficial resemblance to a raccoon. It 



has long loose fur, of a 

 general dark brownish 

 grey colour, small ears, 

 and a short bushy tail ; 

 the under-fur being short 

 and very close. Although 

 by naturalists this animal 

 is frequently regarded as 

 somewhat rare, the num- 

 ber of its skins import- 

 ed for commercial pur- 

 poses indicate that it must 

 really be extremely com- 

 mon. According to Mr. 

 Poland, upwards of thir- 

 teen thousand pelts were 

 imported in ls84, and 

 about seventy thousand 

 in 1891 ; the majority of 

 these coming from Japan. 

 It is sold imder the names 

 of either Japanese fox, 

 jackal, or badger ; and 

 some of the skins are re- 

 ceived in England with 

 the long hairs removed 

 and only the short under- 

 fur remaining. From 

 fourpence to seven shil- 

 lings and sixpence each 

 appears to be the range in 

 the value of the pelts of 

 this species, the price 

 fluctuating both with the 

 quahty of the skins and 

 the demand for them. 

 This fur, which is used 

 both dyed and of the 

 natural colour, is made up 

 into trimmings or capes. 



The jackals, which are 

 intermediate in point of 

 size, and in some respects 

 also in external character, 

 between the true foxes 

 and the wolves (although differing from the former and 

 resembling the latter in the structure of their skulls), 

 are of little or no commercial importance. This is not to be 

 wondered at in the case of the common jackal (C. autius) 

 of South-Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Northern 

 Africa, seeing that its fur is harsh and little suited to the 

 purposes of the furrier. Consequently the pelts of thousands 

 of these animals annually destroyed in Algeria are wasted. 

 It scorns, however, a pity that the fur of the handsome 

 black-backed jackal (('. nu-nomeln.A of (.'entral and Sonth 

 Africa is not made more use of, seeing that the difference in 

 colour between the black of the back and tail, decked with 



