272 ECONOMIC MAMMALOGY 



other furs led trappers and traders to explore almost every part of 

 North America north of latitude 30 30', long before permanent set- 

 tlers began to arrive and engage in agriculture. 2 The influence of the 

 trade upon exploration and history is discussed in Chapter, xvn. 



Beaver skins were currency in Canada in the seventeenth century. 8 

 "In the old days" beaver skins sold for 32 shillings each, with from 

 100,000 to 500,000 annually coming out by way of the St. Lawrence 

 and Hudson Bay; but in 1910 only about 80,000 and in 1912 about 

 17,000 were offered in the markets. 4 The world's reported sales for 

 1919-1921 totalled 420,490 skins. 5 In 1900, 8000 beaver skins were 

 produced in the United States and 66,000 in the world, worth 

 $34i,ooo. 6 It was estimated that in 1923-1924 the production in Amer- 

 ica was 2OO,ooo. 7 In 1913, it was estimated that the production of 

 beaver skins in North America was 80,000 per annum, in Asia 1000, 

 with a few in Europe, skins then bringing from $12 to $20 each, cas- 

 torum from $12 to $15 a pound, and breeding stock $50 a pair. 8 



There were 14,341 beaver skins, worth $258,138, shipped from 

 Alaska in I923. 9 In 1624 only 400 beaver skins were shipped from 

 New York, in 1635 the number had increased to 14,891, according 

 to a letter from the Dutch West India Company. 10 In 1671, New 

 Netherlands produced 80,000, in 1800 New York State produced 5000 ; 

 in 1905 very few of the original stock were left there, but new stock 

 has been introduced from elsewhere. 11 As remote from civilization as 

 was the Snake River country a century ago, 80,000 beaver pelts were 

 taken out in four years in about 1824, by 60 British trappers. 12 Dam- 

 aged and inferior beaver pelts have been extensively used in the manu- 

 facture of felt for hats, the tail is "a delicacy on the banquet board" 



2 Morgan, The American beaver and his works, Philadelphia, Pa., 1868. Martin, 

 Castorologia, or the history and traditions of the Canadian beaver, London, 1892. 

 Dugmore, The romance of the beaver, Philadelphia, 1914. Warren, The beaver, Bal- 

 timore, 1927 ; with bibliography. 



3 Arthur, Louisiana Department of Conservation Bull., No. 18, p. 16, 1928. 

 4 Laut, The fur trade of America, p. 119, 1921; see also Concerning beaver and 



nutria, Forest and Stream, LXIX, 57, 88, 89, 1921. 



5 Osborn and Anthony, Journ. Mammalogy, in, 226, 1922; Natural History, xxn, 

 393, 1922. 



6 Stevenson, Utilization of the skins of aquatic animals, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm. 

 for 1902, pp. 283, 352. 



7 Innis, The fur trade of Canada, table opp. p. 76, 1927. 



8 Jones, Fur farming in Canada, p. 90, 1913. 



9 California Fish and Game, x, 82, 1924. 



10 DeKay, Zoology of New York, p. 73, 1842. 47 th Ann. Rept. N. Y. State Mu- 

 seum, p. 47, 1894. 



11 Johnson, Roosevelt Wild Life Bull., iv, 589, 1927. 



12 Dale, Ashley-Smith exploration, p. 98, 1918. 



