FUR FACTS 161 



this the fur of the yearling bear is in demand for furriers' purposes and 

 the larger pelts are made into rugs and robes. The bear also has a 

 food value and bear steaks are considered a great delicacy by many. 

 The writer does not know of any black bear ranch but is inclined to 

 believe that one could be started and maintained probably easier 

 than a fox ranch and could be made profitable. If any of the blue 

 fox farmers of Alaska should decide to set aside one of their small 

 islands for the raising of bear, the writer would be very glad to hear 

 of it, or if any ranchers of the northwest should set aside a piece of 

 grovmd and undertake the raising of them the writer would like to 

 get the results of th^eir experience for the benefit of others who might 

 be interested. There is no doubt but that it would prove a profit- 

 able venture. There are many pieces of ground in the northwest- 

 ern United States and Canada that would be ideally adapted for this 

 purpose. 



The writer on one of his trips down the Yukon River was told by 

 an Esquimeaux chief who was a great hunter that he had known of 

 cases where mosquitoes would kill a bear. The mosquitoes along 

 the Yukon River are very vicious and as soon as the ice goes out of 

 the river they will attack any living creature along the bank with 

 vim and vigor. It seems that when the black bear comes out of his 

 winter home he is weak and hungry and when prowhng along the 

 river bank in search of dainty morsels will be attacked by the mos- 

 quitoes. They cannot of course hurt him through his heavy coat of 

 fur and his hide is too thick for the mosquitoes to have any terror 

 for him. But the mosquitoes are also himgry and are just as anxi- 

 ous for food as the bear and they finally light on his eyelids. They 

 attack the bear in swarms and he will fight them off with his paws 

 but after a while he is worn out with the struggle and weak with 

 the constant effort of fighting them off and will fall down from ex- 

 haustion, and oftentimes dies. As soon as he gives up the mosquitoes 

 sting his eyes out. 



The bear skin is of comparatively little importance in the fur 

 trade, and most of the black bear skins find their way to the London 

 market where they are largely used for the tall hats worn by the 

 soldiers of the royal regiments. Bears are usually hunted by sports- 

 men and shot with the rifle, and a number are also taken by the 

 trapper; but the trapper much prefers to devote his time and energy 

 to more profitable pelts, as the pelts of the black bear will not justify 

 the labor and trouble of taking them. A fine marten skm is much 

 more valuable than a large bear skin, and even a fine mink will bring 



