RODENTIA 273 



and its "general flesh preferred to game birds," and the castorum has 

 been used in the manufacture of perfumery. 13 For the Eastern trade 

 in 1918, 600 beaver carcasses were dressed and shipped to Toronto. 14 



The following items have been selected from Warren's summary of 

 beaver statistics: From 1853 to 1877, inclusive, the Hudson Bay Com- 

 pany sold in London 2,965,389 beaver skins, an average of 18,615 

 per annum; about 50,000 in 1897, 43,000 in 1900, 49,000 in 1903. 

 In 1859, 509,000 were sold in London and Edinburgh. In 1906, at 

 the London sales, prices ranged from $3.60 for the poorest skins to 

 $8.40 for high-grade pelts, but 41 first-class black skins brought $14.88 

 each. Since then prices have advanced. In the January, 1921, sales in 

 New York, the average price was $12.03. I* 1 February, 1920, it was 

 $40.70, but 40 of the best skins sold for $64 each during the month, 

 and the lowest grade brought $8.50 each, dropping to $2.50 in April. 

 Since that year prices have been uniformly lower, the average ranging 

 from $14 to $21, with a maximum of $35.50 for the best. In the seven- 

 teenth century, castorum was used as medicine for many diseases, and 

 beaver teeth were attached to the necks of children to facilitate the 

 cutting of teeth. From 1858 to 1884, 2 5 ) o pounds of castorum were 

 marketed by the Hudson Bay Company. Twelve years ago the price, 

 was from $10 to $20, but the demand has practically ceased. 10 The 

 castorum is said to have been used for medicinal purposes for many 

 centuries, as it is mentioned in this connection by Pliny and Hippoc- 

 rates, and seems to have been considered a marvelous "cure-all." 16 



In 1917 there was no legal protection for the beaver in 20 states, 

 perhaps in some cases because there were no beaver to protect. In 1927 

 there was a close season in 26 states and partial protection in 8 more. 17 

 The beaver had been exterminated over a great part of its former 

 range, but in recent years has been introduced to many localities. "The 

 effect of regulations in conserving the supply of beaver is shown in 

 the taking of from 165,000 to 230,000 beaver pelts in Canada in the 

 years I92O-I924/' 18 



The food of the beaver in summer consists mostly of grass and 



13 Laut, The fur trade of America, p. 119, 1921. Bailey, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 49, 

 p. 108, 1926. 



14 Field and Stream, Aug., 1918, p. 330, as cited by Seton, Lives of game animals. 

 "Warren, The beaver, pp. 158-165, 1927. 



16 Dugmore, The romance of the beaver, p. 215, 1914. 



17 Bailey, Beaver habits and experiments in beaver culture, U. S. Dept. Agric. 

 Technical Bull, No. 21, 1927, replacing Dept. Bull, No. 1078, 1922. 



18 Innis, The fur trade of Canada, p. 76, 1927. 



