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BULLETIlsr 1350, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTTJEEl 



high quality and finish, determined by its texture and sheen, it is 

 said to be prime. 



Ability to judge primeness comes only through experience. When 

 the fur is coming prime it does so rapidly, and after it reaches the 

 peak of perfection it soon becomes overprime, losing its sheen and 

 finish. When foxes are running wild this point can not be watched 

 so closely as when they are raised in pens. 



KILLING 



In killing, the method generally pursued is for the caretaker to 

 catch the fox with the tongs (fig. 25), lay it on its side, and then 

 press his foot on its chest. Striking the fox on the back of the head 

 with a club leaves a blood clot on the pelt and sometimes cuts it. 

 A more humane and satisfactory method of killing is by the injection 

 of a solution of strychnine sulfate. Objection has been made to 

 this on the supposition that strychnine may injure the pelt by caus- 

 ing the hair to fall out. This, however, is not the case. The effect, 



if any, of strychnine on 

 the hair follicles is con- 

 tracting rather than relax- 

 ing. 



The operation of inject- 

 ing strychnine is very sim- 

 ple. The instrument used 

 is a small hypodermic bar- 

 rel syringe with a reason- 

 ably long needle, and a 

 quantity of a 3 per cent 

 solution of strychnine sulfate. The syringe is filled with the solution 

 and the gauge set for 1 cubic centimeter. The fox is placed on its 

 right side and held by an attendant. The operator places his hand 

 on the chest to locate the heart, at the same time feeling for a space 

 between the ribs to avoid running the needle into the bone. The 

 needle is inserted in the direction of the heart and the dose discharged. 

 In less than a minute the fox dies without a struggle. Great care 

 should be exercised in using strychnine as it is a deadly poison. 



SKINNING 



After the animal heat leaves the body the flesh shrinks from the 

 skin, thus permitting the pelt to be removed more easily and keep- 

 ing the skin side free from blood. Cooling will take place in about 

 half an hour, but during this interval care should be taken to 

 prevent the carcass from freezing. 



The only tool needed in skinning a fox is a jackknife, and this 

 should be kept sharp during the operation. A slit is made up the 

 back of each hind leg, starting at the inside of the paw and run- 

 ning to the hock, then from the hock to a point just below the root 

 of the tail. The back of each front leg is slit in the same manner 

 from the paw to the first joint. The skin of the hind legs is then 

 worked free from the flesh from the first joint to the claws, and 

 the bones of the claws are cut free from the pelt, but the nails are 

 allowed to remain with the skin. A slit on the under side is made 



Fig. 25. — Diagram showing operation of fox tongs. 

 Tongs are useful in handling animals after they 

 are captured in the trap house 



