226 



TEXTILE FIBRES. 



stiffer and not so definitely cylindrical. The fibre is sometimes split up 

 curiously, apparently forming a thinner fibre in the middle of an entire 

 one. This may be an isolated irregularity due to interrupted growth. 

 The scarcity of this fur will, no doubt, prevent its use becoming 

 general for any commercial purpose. 



Musk Rat or Musquash (Fiber Zibethicus). A native of Canada. 

 The fur imported to this country is made into cheap hats for ladies. 



Nutria or Coypu Eat (Myopotamus Coypu). This animal is a 

 native of South America. It bears some resemblance to the beaver, 

 but has a round hairy tail. The skin is sometimes substituted for that 



Fig. 146. Pelt of Hare (magn.). 



4 



of the beaver. This skin is largely imported, and fur fibres from it 

 have been used in felting, particularly for making the wideawake felt 

 and billycock hats. 



Rabbit (Lepus cuniculus). The fur of the rabbit is largely used for 

 the making of felt hats on account of its felting property. 



Fig. 147 shows the hairs of the fur of the rabbit. The broad, thick, 

 opaque fibre is of little or no use in felting, but is convenient for stuffing 

 purposes, and is used by the upholsterer. The downy and finer fibres, 

 which lie underneath the more solid ones, are singly marked with finer 

 perforations. Fur fibres with a thick, dense wall, as in the illustration, 

 are termed kemps. They have poor felting properties. The four thinner 



