ECONOMIC VALUE OF NORTH AMERICAN SKUNKS. 



3 



Fifteen of the forms occur within the United States. As these 

 species and races are not separately recognized in the fur trade, they 

 will not be so considered here. In general, the more northern forms 

 have the finer fur; but in the fur trade the pelts are graded according 

 to the amount of white in the pelage. In the best grade, No. 1, are 

 placed those in which there is no white or in which the white areas do 

 not extend much beyond the head and neck of the animal. No. 2 



Fig. 2.— The four grades of skunk fur. 



skins, or "short stripe," are those in which the white area does not 

 extend beyond the middle of the body. No. 3 skins have long nar- 

 row stripes, while No. 4 are broad-striped (fig. 2). The skins are 

 further graded in price according to the locality from which they 

 were obtained. Northern skins are more valuable because the 

 pelage is finer, and the black color more intense than those from 

 southern localities. 



