ASTRACAN LAMB. 331 



exceeds this number ; these are generally sold in the 

 cleaned state at Moscow or Nishni-Novgorod, and the 

 price ranges from 8d. to 2s,, according to demand, and 

 are mostly bought by German firms. The skins are sent 

 to Leipsic, and are dyed black in the well-known dyeing 

 establishments on the Pleisse. This dye cannot be 

 equalled in Europe for giving brilliancy or suppleness to 

 leather. When finished, the skins are chiefly bought 

 for Canada and the United States, although at one time 

 many were used in this country, when Astracan jackets 

 were in fashion. 



The Astracan Lamb is not more than 6 to 12 inches 

 long. The usual colour is brown ; a few are white, 

 and some are black. 



The larger Lambs and half-grown skins are not so 

 valuable ; these are usually made into coat-linings, and 

 are partly dyed, and are called Taluppen ; these are 

 bought by Canadians for low-priced coats, for use 

 in the North-west Territory. Similar coats are worn in 

 Afghanistan and Beloochistan ; there they are worn pelt 

 out, and the hair is turned outside when the weather is 

 wet or snowy. 



UKEAINER LAMB. 



The Ukrainer Lamb equals the Persian in size, and is 

 much larger than the foregoing ; it may be considered to 

 be a medium-sized Lamb. 



Nearly all the skins collected (about 20,000) are black, 

 although sometimes a white spot is found in the skin. 

 The price of a skin ranges from 8s. to 6s.; these are 

 usually dyed black in Leipsic. When dyed, the wool, 

 which is short and curl}^, has rather a dull appearance ; 



