3o8 UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



the Norman Conquest. The king Hywel Dda, who died in 948 

 A.D., fixed the price of a Beaver skin at 120 pence, the skins of 

 Stag, Wolf, and Fox being worth only 8 pence apiece." 



The IVhisqitash {Fider zibethiciis, fig. 1223). — This is a large 

 North American vole, which is of considerable importance to the 

 Canadian fur-trade, chiefly, it would seem, because it is made into 

 imitation seal-skin. 



The Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigerd). — The cold climate to 

 which the soft gray fur of this pretty little rodent is an adaptation, 

 is here a result not of latitude but of altitude. Chinchillas live 

 in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia, and are something- like 

 squirrels in appearance, except that the tail is far less bushy (see 

 vol. i, p. 134). 



The Co))uiion Sqiiirt'el iyScizirus zmlgaris). — This species has 

 a remarkably wide distribution, ranging from Ireland to Japan, 

 and also being native to North Africa. It is the chief source of 

 " squirrel " fur, which is of grey or drab colour, quite unlike the 

 reddish-brown of our ordinary native specimens. The skins of 

 commerce are, in fact, taken from individuals inhabiting the colder 

 parts of Russia, the grey hue being, as in many other cases, an 

 adaptation to the severe climate of winter. 



The Rabbit {Lepus C2iniculns). — Among the cheaper kinds of 

 fur that of the rabbit is best known, and by means of dyeing and 

 other processes it is worked up into passable imitations of more 

 costly pelts. 



SKINS AND DOWN OF WILD BIRDS (AvES) 



Deferring for the present the question of the wild birds 

 which are subjected to wholesale butchery on account of their 

 beautiful plumage, mention may here be made of Grebes and 

 Eider- Ducks. 



Grebes (species of Podicipes). — These widely - distributed 

 aquatic birds are distinguished by the density and beautiful 

 silver-white colour of the plumage on the under side of the 

 body. Muffs and other articles made of "grebe" are manu- 

 factured from the skin of this region, with the feathers attached 

 as in nature. 



Eider-Ducks {Somateria, fig. 1224). — Two species of these 

 essentially Arctic birds are of commercial importance on account 



