BADGER. 135 



hair is particularly adapted for brush-making, for which 

 these skins are exclusively used. The quantity of skins 

 produced, however, is too small to be of much value for 

 commercial purposes. Those from North Wales are of 

 especially good quality. 



The Grecian and Asiatic skins are pale in colour, and 

 weak in the hair, and there is more under- wool than in 

 many of the others. 



The Polish type has long hair. 



The Eussian and Bosnian are of good colour and size, 

 being about 2 feet ; and from the former country are 

 procured most of the skins for brush-making. 



The value of a skin is from Is. to 2s., according to 

 quality and demand. 



Five hundred and eighty-four skins were imported 

 into London in 1820, and 2,991 in 1830 ; but since the 

 duty on skins has been removed, the quantity imported 

 is difficult to ascertain. About 4,000 skins may be 

 taken as the yearly importation. Two thousand two 

 hundred and seventy-five skins were imported in 1883, 

 and 3,487 in 1884, by one merchant only. In Prussia 

 5,098 Badgers were killed in the winter of 1885-6. 



For brush -making the skins are first shaved, and 

 then washed with alkali to remove the grease ; the hair 

 is then cut off close to the pelt, and sorted with great 

 skill into sizes by women, tied up into neat bundles, 

 and sold by weight. 



The longest hairs are used for making graining- 

 brushes, the medium for shaving-brushes, and the short 

 for tooth-brushes. The pelt is only suitable for glue or 

 manure. 



Badger skins form a very durable and serviceable 

 material, and were formerly used for making pistol- 

 holsters. In Switzerland they are now used for 



