26 BULLETIN 1350, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
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- 
Fig. 25.— Diagram showing operation of fox tongs, rel SVrmge with a reaSOn- 
Tongs are useful in handling animals after they ,sU"i " l^^^. ^^^^ll^ ^^J ^ 
are captured in the trap house 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 
