228 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
selective breeding. The darker the animal the 
more valuable its pelt. Hence the object of 
every breeder should be to produce pure black 
foxes, or as nearly pure black as possible. To 
do this he must retain his darkest and most 
valuable animals for breeding, selling only the 
poorer ones. The temptation to sell animals 
of high value is often very great, but in the 
long run such animals are likely to be more 
profitable if kept for breeding. The possibil- 
ities of modification and improvement by selec- 
tion are fully as great with wild animals as 
with domestic, and already have been demon- 
strated in the case of foxes. Some of the high- 
est-priced fox-skins ever put on the market 
have been from animals reared in confinement 
and improved by selective breeding. 
Breeding for disposition is perhaps fully as 
important as breeding for color. So far this 
has not been attempted to any extent, but in 
Mr. Osgood’s opinion it may be of great im- 
portance in overcoming some of the princi- 
pal difficulties now encountered. By selecting 
those animals which show the least aversion to 
man, due regard being paid to other qualities, 
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