24 



THE MUSKRAT. 



The slightly oamey flavor of miiskrats prepared by the above 

 recipes is liked by most i)ersons. Should it be objectionable it may 

 be overcome by soaking- the meat overnight in salt water. 



MUSKRAT FURS. 



In the raw state the fur of the muskrat is dense and soft and in 

 general appearance much like that of the beaver. However, the pelage 

 is shorter and less close and the pelt somewhat inferior in durability. 

 The color varies with season and locality. Northern skins are said 

 to average lightest in color, being often a light silver gray, sometimes 

 nearly white on the underparts. This is probably because many are 

 taken in summer pelage. Very dark skins, classed as black, come 

 mainly from Xew Jerse}^, Delaware, and Maryland, but are found in 

 limited numbers in other parts of the United States and in Canada. 



Compared with most other furs of such small size, muskrat furs are 

 of excellent quality and durability ; their cheapness is chiefly the result 

 of their abundance. The earliest demand for the fur was for the 

 manufacture of so-called beaver hats, it making an excellent imita- 

 tion. When silk rej^laced fur in hat manufacture, the demand for 

 muskrat skins fell off greatly. They next became popular as imita- 

 tions of sealskin. Properly d^^ed and made up, they are difficult to 

 distinguish from the genuine, but their wearing qualities are greatly 

 inferior. The modern fur dresser and dyer have found means of 

 imitating nearly all the more costly furs with that of this animal, 

 and have thus created a continuous demand for the pelts. 



Trade in Muskrat Furs. 



The growth of the demand for muskrat furs is shown by the records 

 of London importations and sales. From 1763 to 1800 (thirt^^'-eight 

 years) the total number of skins imported and sold in that market 

 was 2,831,453, an average of less than 75.000 yearly. During the fifty 

 years from 1801 to 1850 the total was 20,571,428, or an average of 

 411,000 3''early. From 1851 to 1890. inclusive, the importations were 

 99,893,591, a ^^early average of 2,500.000. The average London sales 

 in recent years have been over 4,000,000 per annum, and the entire 

 output of skins for 1900 was 5,285,000." A large part of the total 

 collection is sold through London, but in the last few years an in- 

 creasing number are dressed and manufactured in America. 



Notwithstanding that during the past century and a half nearly a 

 quarter billion of muskrats have been trapjDed, the f^upply has not 

 greatly diminished. The total output of 1905, as indicated by Lon- 



oRept. U. S. Com. Fish and Fisheries for 1902, p. 285, 1904. 



396 



