228 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



selective breeding. The darker the animal the 

 more valuable its pelt. Hence the object of 

 every breeder should be to produce pure black 

 foxes, or as nearly pure 'black as possible. To 

 do this he must retain his darkest and most 

 valuable animals for breeding, selling only the 

 poorer ones. The temptation to sell animals 

 of high value is often very great, but in the 

 long run such animals are likely to be more 

 profitable if kept for breeding. The possibil- 

 ities of modification and improvement by selec- 

 tion are fully as great with wild animals as 

 with domestic, and already have been demon- 

 strated in the case of foxes. Some of the high- 

 est-priced fox-skins ever put on the market 

 have been from animals reared in confinement 

 and improved by selective breeding. 



Breeding for disposition is perhaps fully as 

 important as breeding for color. So far this 

 has not been attempted to any extent, but in 

 Mr. Osgood's opinion it may be of great im- 

 portance in overcoming some of the princi- 

 pal difficulties now encountered. By selecting 

 those animals which show the least aversion to 

 man, due regard being paid to other qualities, 



