40 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 68 



60 r 



50 



40 



30 



20 



10 



\ 



/ 



V 



/ 



\ 



/ 



\ 



/ 



A M J 

 MONT H S 



JASON 

 1967-1968 



Figure 20. — The shed pelage of an adult male sea otter was collected from 

 the drain of his pool at 7-day intervals from October 1967 to October 

 1968. The mean weights in centigrams of three to five samples (four 

 samples were discarded) collected each month are indicated by dots. The 

 curve shows maximal and minimal periods of shedding during the year 

 and suggests one annual maximal period of molt. 



THE PELT IN COMMERCE 

 Processing 



Concerning the processing of sea otter skins, Poland (1892) 

 stated: "The skins are occasionally smoked, and are also dyed or 

 topped." To clarify the meaning of this statement I wrote to Dr. 

 J. L. Stoves of Martin-Rice Ltd., fur processors, London, England, 

 and received the following information (letter, 7 May 1963) : 



Sea otter fur was dressed in the 19th Century by the conventional method, 

 i.e. fatty tissue was removed by scraping or fleshing after which the skins 

 were smeared with grease or oil (butter rejected for human consumption 



