112 CARNIVOEA. 



sionally met with ; light brown, or fawn, and mottled 

 are extremely rare. The pelt is in many instances very 

 thick, especially in Columbia and British Columbia. 



The fur of the Fisher is rich and valuable, and ranges 

 in price from 2s. 9d. to 55s., but good dark skins often 

 realize 70s. to 80s. when in great demand. It is prin- 

 cipally bought for Eussia, and the tail is largely used in 

 Prance, England, and America for various purposes, the 

 value being about 3s. to 6s. Small skins often realize 

 as much as the large — an apparently anomalous fact, 

 which is however accounted for by the Russian import 

 duty being charged according to weight, and not to size ; 

 the smaller skins, having a thinner pelt, weigh less. 



The finest fur comes from some of the more northern 

 provinces of Canada Proper. 



In 1891 the Hudson's Bay Company sold 5,658 skins ; 

 2,955 were sold by other brokers, at prices ranging from 

 3s. 6d. to 77s. 6d. 



In 1812 a Fisher's skin realized only 7s., and in 1816, 

 8s. to 14s. 



The Fisher is also called the Wood-shock. The female 

 has four teats. 



Dr. Eichardson, in the "North American Fauna " (page 

 53), thus describes its habits : — " The Pekan is a larger 

 and stronger animal than any variety of the Pine 

 Marten, but it has similar manners ; climbing trees 

 with facility, and preying principally on mice. It lives 

 in the woods, preferring damp places in the vicinity of 

 water, in which respect it differs from the Marten, which 

 is generally found in the driest spots of the pine forests. 

 The Fisher is said to prey much on frogs in the summer 

 season ; but I have been informed that its favourite food 

 is the Canada Porcupine, which it kills by biting on the 

 belly. It does not seek its food in the water, although, 



