Chapter I: Functions of Real Variables (10)

The annual collection of fur skins varies considerably in quantity according to the demand and to the good or bad climatic conditions of the season; and it is impossible to give a complete record, as many skins are used in the country of their origin or exported direct to merchants. But a fairly exact statement of the numbers sold in the great public trade auction sales in London during the year 1905-1906 is herewith set out.

_Year ending 31st of March 1906._ Total Number
of Skins.

Badger 28,634
Badger, Japanese 6,026
Bear 18,576
Beaver 80,514
Cat, Civet 157,915
Cat, House 126,703
" Wild 32,253
Chinchilla (La Plata), known also as Bastard 43,578
" Peruvian finest 5,603
Deer, Chinese 124,355
Ermine 40,641
Fisher 5,949
Fitch 77,578
Fox, Blue 1,893
" Cross 10,276
" Grey 59,561
" Japanese 81,429
" Kit 4,023
" Red 158,961
" Silver 2,510
" White 27,463
Goats, Chinese 261,190
Hares 41,256
Kangaroo 7,115
Kid, Chinese linings and skins equal to 5,080,047
Kolinsky 114,251
Lamb, Mongolian linings and skins equal to 214,072
" Slink " " " 167,372
" Tibet " " " 794,130
Leopard 3,574
Lynx 88,822
Marmot, linings and skins equal to 1,600,600
Marten, Baum 4,573
" Japanese 16,461
" Stone 12,939
Mink, Canadian and American 299,254
" Japanese 360,373
Mouflon 23,594
Musk-rat or Musquash, Brown 5,126,339
" " Black 41,788
Nutria 82,474
Opossum, American 902,065
" Australian 4,161,685
Otter, River 21,235
" Sea 522
Raccoon 310,712
Sable, Canadian and American 97,282
" Japanese 556
" Russian 26,399
Seals, Fur 77,000
" Hair 31,943
Skunk 1,068,408
Squirrel 194,596
" Linings each averaging 126 skins 1,982,736
Tiger 392
Wallaby 60,956
Wolf 56,642
Wolverine 1,726
Wombat 193,625

A brief account of the different qualities of the pelts, with some general remarks as to their customary uses, follows. The prices quoted are subject to constant fluctuation and represent purely trade prices for bulk, and it should be explained that the very great variations are due to different sizes, qualities and colours, and moreover are only _first cost_, before skins are dressed and prepared. These preparations are in some cases expensive, and there is generally a considerable percentage of waste. The prices cannot be taken as a guide to the wholesale price of a single and finished skin, but simply as _relative_ value.

The fullest and darkest skins of each kind are the most valuable, and, in cases of bluish grey or white, the fuller, clearer and brighter are the more expensive. A few albinos are found in every species, but whatever their value to a museum, they are of little commercial importance. Some odd lots of skins arrive designated simply as "sundries," so no classification is possible, and this will account for the absence of a few names of skins of which the imports are insignificant in quantity, or are received direct by the wholesale merchants.

_Names, Qualities and Uses of Pelts._[1]

ASTRACHAN.--See _Lambs_, below.

BADGER.--Size 2 X 1 ft. American sorts have coarse thick underwool of
a pale fawn or stone colour with a growth of longer black and white
hairs, 3 or 4 in. long; a very durable but clumsy fur. The best skins
are exported to France, Spain and Italy, and used for carriage rugs
and military purposes. Asiatic, including Japanese, skins are more
woolly. Russian and Prussian kinds are coarser and darker, and used
mostly for brush trade. Value 6d. to 19s.

BEAR, AUSTRALIAN.--See _Wombat_, below.

BEAR, BLACK.--Size 6 X 3 ft. Fine dark brown underwool with bright
black and flowing top hair 4 in. long. Cubs are nearly as long in the
hair although only about half the size and not only softer and better,
but have the advantage of being very much lighter in pelt. Widely
distributed in North America, the best come from Canada, are costly
and are used for military caps, boas, muffs, trimmings, carriage rugs
and coachmen's capes, and the fur wears exceedingly well. Value 17s.
6d. to 86s. Those from East India and warm climates are harsh, poor
and only fit for floor rugs.

BEAR, BROWN.--Size 6 X 3 ft. Similar in quality to the black, but far
more limited in number; the colours range from light yellow to a rich
dark brown. The best come from Hudson Bay territory and are valuable.
Used for muffs, trimmings, boas, and carriage rugs. Inferior sorts,
almost grizzly in effect and some very pale, are found in Europe and
Asia and are mostly used locally. In India there is a species called
Isabelline bear, which was formerly imported to Great Britain, but
does not now arrive in any quantity worth mentioning. Value 10s. 6d.
to 60s., Isabelline sort 10s. 6d. to 78s.

BEAR, GRIZZLY.--Size 8 X 4 ft. Coarse hair, heavy pelt, mostly dark
yellowish and brown colours, only found in western parts of United
States, Russia and Siberia. Used as carriage rugs and floor rugs, most
durable for latter purpose and of fine effect. They are about half the
value of brown bear. Value 15s. to 54s.

BEAR, ISABELLINE.--See _Bear_, _Brown_, above.

BEAR, WHITE.--Size 10 X 5 ft. The largest of all bears. Short close
hair except on flanks, colour white to yellow. An inhabitant of the
Arctic circle, best from Greenland. Used for floor rugs, very durable;
and very white specimens are valuable. Value 20s. to 520s.

BEAVER. Size 3 X 2 ft. The largest of rodents, it possesses a close
underwool of bluish-brown hue, nearly an inch in depth, with coarse,
bright, black or reddish-brown top hair, 3 in. long. Found widely in
North America. After being unhaired the darkest wools are the most
valuable, although many people prefer the bright, lighter brown tones.
Used for collars, cuffs, boas, muffs, trimmings, coat linings and
carriage aprons, and is of a most durable nature, in addition to
having a rich and good appearance. Value 10s. to 39s. 6d.

BROADTAIL.--See _Lambs_, below.

CARACAL.--A small lynx from India, the fur very poor, seldom imported.

CARACUL.--See _Goats_ and _Lambs_, below.

CAT, CIVET.--Size 9 X 4-1/2 in., short, thick and dark underwool with
silky black top hair with irregular and unique white markings. It is
similar to skunk, but is much lighter in weight, softer and less full,
without any disagreeable odour. Used for coat linings it is very warm
and durable. A few come from China, but the fur is yellowish-grey,
slightly spotted and worth little. Value 1s. 1d. to 1s. 11d.

CAT, HOUSE, &C.--18 X 9 in., mostly black and dark brown, imported
from Holland, Bavaria, America and Russia, where they are reared for
their coats. The best, from Holland, are used for coat linings.
Although in colour, weight and warmth they are excellent, the fur is
apt to become loose and to fall off with friction of wear. The black
are known as genet, although the true genet is a spotted wild cat.
Wild sorts of the tabby order are coarser, and not so good and silky
in effect as when domestically reared. Value of the black sorts 2d. to
3s. Wild 9d. to 14s. Some small wild cats, very poor flat fur of a
pale fawn colour with yellow spots, are imported from Australia and
used for linings. Value 5-1/2d. to 1s. 1d.

CHEETAH.--Size of a small leopard and similar in colour, but has black
spots in lieu of rings. Only a few are now imported, which are used
for mats. Value 2s. 6d. to 18s.

CHINCHILLA, PERUVIAN and BOLIVIAN.--Size 12 X 7 in., fur 1 to 1-1/4
in. deep. Delicate blue-grey with black shadings, one of nature's most
beautiful productions, though not a durable one. Used for ladies'
coats, stoles, muffs, hats and trimmings. Yearly becoming scarcer and
most costly. Value 8s. 6d. to 56s. 8d.

CHINCHILLA, LA PLATA, incorrectly named and known in the trade as
"bastard chinchilla," size 9 X 4 in., in a similar species, but owing
to lower altitudes and warmer climatic conditions of habitation is
smaller, with shorter and less beautiful fur, the underwool colour
being darker and the top colour less pure. Used exactly as the better
kind, and the picked skins are most effective. As with the best sort
it is not serviceable for constant wear. Value 4s. 2d. to 27s. 6d.

CHINCHILLONE.--Size 13 X 8 in., obtained also from South America. Fur
is longer and weaker and poorer and yellower than chinchilla. Probably
a crossbred animal, very limited importation. Value 3s. 6d. to 16s.
8d.

DEER, CHINESE and EAST INDIAN.--Small, light, pelted skins, the
majority of which are used for mats. Reindeer and other varieties are
of little interest for use other than trophy mats. Thousands are taken
for the leather trade. Value of Chinese 1s. 2d. to 1s. 6d. each.

DOG.--The only dogs that are used in the fur trade in civilized
countries are those imported from China, which are heavy and coarse,
and only used in the cheaper trade, chiefly for rugs. Value 6d. to 1s.

DOG WOLF.--See _Wolf_, below.

ERMINE.--Size 12 X 2-1/2 in. Underwool short and even, with a shade
longer top hair. Pelt light and close in texture, and durable. In the
height of winter the colour is pure white with exception of the tip of
tail, which is quite black. Supplies are obtained from Siberia and
America. Best are from Ishim in Siberia. Used for cloak linings,
stoles, muffs and trimmings, also for embellishment of British state,
parliamentary and legal robes. When this fur is symmetrically spotted
with black lamb pieces it is styled miniver, in which form it is used
at the grand coronation functions of British sovereigns. Value 1s. 3d.
to 8s. 6d.

FISHER.--Size 30 X 12 in., tail 12 to 18 in. long, the largest of the
martens; has a dark shaded deep underwool with fine, glossy, dark and
strong top hair 2 in. or more long. Best obtained from British
America. The tails are almost black and make up most handsomely into
trimmings, muffs, &c. Tails worked separately in these forms are as
rich and fine and more durable than any other fur suitable for a like
purpose. The fur of the skin itself is something like a dark silky
raccoon, but is not as attractive as the tails. Value 12s. to 46s.

FITCH.--Size 12 X 3 in., of the marten species, also known as the pole
cat. Yellow underwool 1/3 in. deep, black top hair, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 in.
long, very fine and open in growth, and not close as in martens.
Largest skins come from Denmark, Holland and Germany. The Russian are
smaller, but more silky and, as now dyed, make a cheap and fair
substitute for sable. They are excellent for linings of ladies' coats,
being of light weight and fairly strong in the pelt. English mayors'
and civic officials' robes are frequently trimmed with this fur in
lieu of sable. Value of the German variety 2s. to 5s. 6d. and of the
Russian 7d. to 1s. 4d.

FOX, BLUE.--Size 24 X 8 in. Underwool thick and long. Top hair fine
and not so plentiful as in other foxes. Found in Alaska, Hudson Bay
territory, Archangel and Greenland. Although called blue, the colour
is a slaty or drab tone. Those from Archangel are more silky and of a
smoky bluish colour and are the most valuable. These are scarce and
consequently dear. The white foxes that are dyed smoke and celestial
blue are brilliant and totally unlike the browner shades of this fox.
Value 34s. to 195s.

FOX, COMMON.--The variation of size and quality is considerable, and
the colour is anything from grey to red. In Great Britain the animal
is now only regarded for the sport it provides. On the European
continent, however, some hundreds of thousands of skins, principally
German, Russian and Norwegian, are sold annually, for home use, and
for dyeing and exportation, chiefly to the United States. The
qualities do not compare with those species found in North America and
the Arctic circle. The Asiatic, African and South American varieties
are, with the exception of those taken in the mountains, poorly furred
and usually brittle and therefore of no great service. No commercial
value can be quoted.

FOX, CROSS.--Size 20 X 7 in., are about as large as the silver and
generally have a pale yellowish or orange tone with some silvery
points and a darkish cross marking on the shoulders. Some are very
similar to the pale red fox from the North-West of America and a few
are exceptionally large. The darkest and best come from Labrador and
Hudson Bay, and the ordinary sorts from the north-west of the United
States and, as with silver and other kinds, the quality is inferior
when taken from warmer latitudes. Value 10s. 6d. to 60s.

FOX, GREY.--Size 27 X 10 in. Has a close dark drab underwool with
yellowish grizzly, grey, regular and coarse top hair. The majority
used for the trade come from Virginia and the southern and western
parts of the United States. Those from the west are larger than the
average, with more fur of a brighter tone. The fur is fairly
serviceable for carriage rugs, the leather being stout, but its
harshness of quality and nondescript colour does not contribute to
make it a favourite. Value 9d. to 4s. 9d.

FOX, JAPANESE.--See _Fox, Red_, and _Raccoon_, below.

FOX, KIT.--Size 20 X 6 in. The underwool is short and soft, as is also
the top hair, which is of very pale grey mixed with some
yellowish-white hair. It is the smallest of foxes, and is found in
Canada and the northern section of the United States. It is similar in
colour and quality to the prairie fox and to many kinds from the
warmer zones, such as from Turkey, eastern Asia and elsewhere. Value
1s. 3d. to 5s. 6d.

FOX, RED.--Size 24 X 8 in., though a few kinds are much larger. The
underwool is long and soft and the hair plentiful and strong. It is
found widely in the northern parts of America and in smaller numbers
south of the United States, also in China, Japan and Australia. The
colours vary from pale yellowish to a dark red, some being very
brilliant. Those of Kamschatka are rich and fine in quality. Farther
north, especially near the sea, the fur is coarse. Where the best
coloured skins are not used for carriage rugs they are extensively
dyed, and badger and other white hairs are inserted to resemble silver
fox. They are also dyed a sable colour. The skins, being the strongest
of foxes', both in the fur and pelt, are serviceable. The preparations
in imitation of the natural black and silver sorts are very good and
attractive. Value 1s. to 41s.

FOX, SILVER. Size 30 X 10 in. Underwool close and fine. Top hair black
to silvery, 3 in. long. The fur upon the necks usually runs dark,
almost black, and in some cases the fur is black half-way down the
length of the skin, in rarer cases three-quarters of the length and,
in the most exceptional instances, the whole length, and when this is
the case they are known as "Natural Black Foxes" and fetch enormous
prices. The even silvery sorts are highly esteemed, and the fur is one
of the most effective and precious. The finest are taken in Labrador.
The farther south they are found, the poorer and coarser the fur. The
brush has invariably a white tip. Value L1 to L320.

FOX, WHITE.--Size 20 X 7 in. Animals of this species are generally
small in size and inhabit the extreme northern sections of Hudson Bay,
Newfoundland, Greenland, Labrador and Siberia. The Canadian are silky
in nature and inclined to a creamy colour, while the Siberian are more
woolly and rather whiter. Those taken in central Asia near or in
Chinese territory are poorer and yellowish. The underwool in all sorts
is generally of a bluish-grey tone, but the top hair in the depth of
winter is usually full enough in quantity to hide any such variation.
Those skins in which the underwool is quite white are rare and much
more expensive. In summer specimens of this species, as with other
white furred animals, have slightly discoloured coats. The skins that
are not perfectly white are dyed jet black, dark or light smoke,
violet-blue, blue-grey, and also in imitation of the drab shades of
the natural blue. Value 18s. to 66s.

GENET.--Size 10 X 4 in. The genet proper is a small white spotted cat
found in Europe, but the quantity is too small to be of commercial
interest. The name has been adopted for the black cats used so much in
the trade. (See CATS, above.) Value 1s. to 6s. 6d.

GOATS.--Size varies greatly. The European, Arabian and East Indian
kinds are seldom used for rugs, the skins are chiefly dressed as
leather for books and furniture, and the kids for boots and gloves,
and the finer wool and hair are woven into various materials. Many
from Russia are dyed black for floor and carriage rugs; the hair is
brittle, with poor underwool and not very durable; the cost, however,
is small. The Chinese export thousands of similar skins in black, grey
and white, usually ready dressed and made into rugs of two skins each.
A great many are dyed black and brown, in imitation of bear, and are
used largely in the western parts of the United States and Canada for
sleigh and carriage rugs. Many are used for their leather. Thousands
of the kids are also dyed black and worked into cross-shaped pieces,
in which shape they are largely exported to Germany, France, Great
Britain and America, and sold by the retail as caracal, kid or
caracul. The grey ones are in good demand for motor coats. The word
caracul has been adopted from the Turkish and signifies black-eared.
See also LAMBS, CARACUL. Value of Chinese white 3s. 6d. to 6s. 6d.:
grey, 4s. to 6s. 9d.

The Angora from the heights of central Asia Minor has curly, fleecy,
silky, white wool, 4 to 7 in. long. The fur is not used in Great
Britain, as formerly, and the greater quantity, known as mohair, is
now imported for purposes of weaving. This species of goat was some
years since introduced into Cape Colony, but its wool is not so good
as the Asiatic breed. Good business, however, is done with the
product, but chiefly for leather. Value 4s. to 12s. 6d.

The Mongolian goat has a very soft silk underwool, and after the long
top hair is removed it is dressed and imported and erroneously named
mouflon. The colour is a light fawn, but it is so pale that it lends
itself to be dyed any colour. It was popular some years since in the
cheaper trade, but it is not now much seen in England. Value 2s. to
6s.

The Tibet goat is similar to the Angora in the fineness of its wool,
and many are used in the making of cashmere shawls. The Tibet lamb so
largely imported and used for children's wear is often miscalled Tibet
goat. Value 3s. to 7s. 6d.

GUANACO.--Size 30 X 15 in. Is a species of goat found in Patagonia and
other parts of South America. It has a very long neck and exceedingly
soft woolly fur of a light reddish-fawn colour with very white flanks.
It is usually imported in small quantities, native dressed, and ready
made into rugs. The dressing is hard and brittle. If the skins are
dressed in Europe they afford a very comfortable rug, though a very
marked one in effect. They have a similar wool to the vicuna, but
coarser and redder; both are largely used in South America. Value 1s.
to 4s. 6d.

HAMSTER.--Size 8 X 3-1/2 in. A destructive rodent, is found in great
numbers in Russia and Germany. The fur is very flat and poor, of a
yellowish pale brown with a little marking of black. Being of a light
weight it is used for linings. Value 3d. to 1s.

HARE.--Size 24 X 9 in. The common hare of Europe does not much
interest the furrier, the fur being chiefly used by makers of hatters'
felt. The white hares, however, of Russia, Siberia and other regions
in the Arctic circle are very largely used in the cheaper trade of
Europe, America and the British colonies. The fur is of the whitest
when killed in winter, and that upon the flanks of the animal is very
much longer than that upon its back. The flanks are usually cut off
and made into muffs and stoles. The hair is, however, brittle and is
not at all durable. This fur is dyed jet black and various shades of
brown and grey, and manufactured into articles for the small drapers
and for exportation. The North American hares are also dyed black and
brown and used in the same way. Value of white 2d. to 5d.

JACKAL.--Size 2 to 3 ft. long. Is found in India and north and south
Africa. Indian are light brown and reddish, those from the Cape are
dark grey and rather silvery. Few are imported. Fur generally poor and
harsh, only suitable for carriage rugs. Value 1s. to 3s. 6d.

JAGUAR.--Size 7 to 10 ft. long. Is found in Mexico and British
Honduras. The markings are an irregular ring formation with a spot in
the centre. Leopards have rings only and cheetahs solid spots.
Suitable only for hearth-rugs. Supply very limited. Value 5s. to 45s.

KALUGA.--See _Souslik_, below.

KANGAROO.--The sizes vary considerably, some being huge, others quite
small. The larger varieties, viz. the red and the great, do not
usually interest furriers, the fur being harsh and poor without
underwool. They are tanned for the leather trade. The sorts used for
carriage aprons, coat linings and the outside of motor coats include:
blue kangaroo, bush kangaroo, bridled kangaroo, wallaroo, yellow
kangaroo, rock wallaby, swamp wallaby and short-tailed wallaby. Many
of the swamp sort are dyed to imitate skunk and look well. Generally
the colours are yellowish or brown. Some are dark brown as in the
swamp, which being strong are suitable for motor coats. The rock
wallabies are soft and woolly and often of a pretty bluish tone, and
make moderately useful carriage rugs and perambulator aprons. The
redder and browner sorts are also good for rugs as they are thick in
the pelt. On the European continent many of these are dyed. The best
of the lighter weights are frequently insufficiently strong in the
hair to stand the friction of wear in a coat lining. Value, kangaroo
9d. to 3s., wallaby 1-1/2 d. to 5s. 3d., wallaroo 1s. to 5s. 6d.

KIDS.--See _Goats_, above.

KOLINSKY.--Size 12 X 2-1/2 in. Is one of the marten tribe. The
underwool is short and rather weak, but regular, as is also the top
hair; the colour is usually yellow. They have been successfully dyed
and used as a substitute for sable. They are found in Siberia, Amoor,
China and Japan, but the best are from Siberia. They are light in
weight and therefore suitable for linings of coats. The tails are used
for artists' "sable" brushes. The fur has often been designated as red
or Tatar sable. Value 1s. 6d. to 4s. 6d.

LAMBS.--The sorts that primarily interest the fur trade in Europe and
America are those from south Russia, Persia and Afghanistan, which are
included under the following wholesale or retail commercial terms:
Persian lamb, broadtail, astrachan, Shiraz, Bokharan and caracul lamb.
With the public the general term astrachan is an old one, embracing
all the above curly sorts; the flatter kinds, as broadtail and caracul
lamb, have always been named separately. The Persian lambs, size 18 X
9 in., are the finest and the best of them. When dressed and dyed they
should have regular, close and bright curl, varying from a small to a
very large one, and if of equal size, regularity, tightness and
brightness, the value is comparatively a matter of fancy. Those that
are dull and loose, or very coarse and flat in the curl, are of far
less market value.

All the above enumerated lambs are naturally a rusty black or brown,
and with very few exceptions are dyed a jet black. Lustre, however,
cannot be imparted unless the wool was originally of a silky nature.
Broadtails, size 10 X 5 in., are the very young of the Persian sheep,
and are killed before the wool has time to develop beyond the flat
wavy state which can be best compared to a piece of moire silk. They
are naturally exceedingly light in weight, and those that are of an
even pattern, possessing a lustrous sheen, are costly. There is,
notwithstanding, a great demand for these from the fashionable world,
as not only are they very effective, but being so flat in the wool the
figure of the wearer can be shown as perfectly as in a garment made of
silk. It cannot be regarded as an economical fur, as the pelt is too
delicate to resist hard wear.

Persian Lamb price 12s. 6d. to 25s.
Broadtail " 10s. " 35s.

Astrachan, Shiraz and Bokharan lambs, size 22 by 9 in., are of a
coarser, looser curl, and chiefly used for coat linings, while the
Persians are used for outside of garments, collars, cuffs, stoles,
muffs, hats and trimmings and gloves. The so-called caracul lambs,
size 12 X 6 in., are the very young of the astrachan sheep, and the
pick of them are almost as effective as broadtails, although less fine
in the texture. See also remarks as to caracul kid under Goats, above.

Astrachan price 1s. to 5s. 6d.
Caracul Lamb " 2s. 6d " 10s. 6d.
Shiraz " 4s. 6d " 10s.
Bokharan " 1s. 6d " 3s. 6d.

Grey lambs, size 24 X 10 in., are obtained from the Crimea and known
in the trade as "crimmers." They are of a similar nature to the
caracul lambs, but looser in curl, ranging from a very light to a dark
grey. The best are the pale bluish greys, and are chiefly used for
ladies' coats, stoles, muffs and hats. Price 2s. to 6s. Mongolian
lambs, size 24 X 15 in., are of a short wavy loose curl, creamy white
colour, and are usually exported from China dressed, the majority
being ready-made into cross-shaped coats or linings. They are used
principally for linings of good evening wraps for ladies. Price 1s. to
2s. 6d. Slink lambs come from South America and China. The former are
very small and generally those that are stillborn. They have a
particularly thin pelt with very close wool of minute curl. The China
sorts are much larger. The smallest are used for glove linings and the
others for opera cloak linings. Price 1s. to 6s. 6d.

LEOPARD.--Size 3 to 6 ft. long. There are several kinds, the chief
being the snow or ounce, Chinese, Bengal, Persian, East Indian and
African. The first variety inhabit the Himalayas and are beautifully
covered with a deep soft fur quite long compared to the flat harsh
hair of the Bengal sort. The colours are pale orange and white with
very dark markings, a strong contrast making a fine effect. Most
artists prize these skins above all others. The Chinese are of a
medium orange brown colour, but full in fur. The East Indian are less
full and not so dark. The Bengal are dark and medium in colour, short
and hard hair, but useful for floor rugs, as they do not hold the dust
like the fuller and softer hair of the kinds previously named. They
are also used for drummers' aprons and saddle cloths in the Indian
army. The African are small with pale lemon colour grounds very
closely marked with black spots on the skin, the strong contrast
making a pleasing effect. Occasionally, where something very marked is
wanted, skating jackets and carriage aprons are made from the softest
and flattest of skins, but usually they are made into settee covers,
floor rugs and foot muffs. Value 2s. to 40s.

LION.--Size 5 to 6 ft. long. These skins are found in Africa, Arabia
and part of India, and are every year becoming scarcer. They are only
used for floor rugs, and the males are more highly esteemed on account
of the set-off of the mane. Value, lions' L10 to L100; lionesses' L5
to L25.

LYNX.--Size 45 X 20 in. The underwool is thinner than fox, but the top
hair is fine, silky and flowing, 4 in. long, of a pale grey, slightly
mottled with fine streaks and dark spots. The fur upon the flanks is
longer and white with very pronounced markings of dark spots, and this
part of the skin is generally worked separately from the rest and is
very effective for gown trimmings. Where the colour is of a sandy and
reddish hue the value is far less than where it is of a bluish tone.
They inhabit North America as far south as California, also Norway and
Sweden. Those from the Hudson Bay district and Sweden are the best and
are very similar. Those taken in Central Asia are mostly used locally.
For attire the skins manufactured in Europe are generally dyed black
or brown, in which state it has a similar appearance to dyed fox, but
having less thick underwool and finer hair flows freely. The finest
skins when dyed black are used very largely in America in place of the
dyed black fox so fashionable for mourning wear in Great Britain and
France. The British Hussar busbies are made of the dark brown lynx,
and it is the free silky easy movement of the fur with the least
disturbance in the atmosphere that gives it such a pleasing effect. It
is used for rugs in its natural state and also in Turkey as trimmings
for garments. Value 13s. 6d. to 56s.

LYNX CAT or BAY LYNX.--Is about half the size and depth of fur of a
lynx proper, and inhabits the central United States. It is a flat and
reddish fur compared to the lynx and is suitable for cheap carriage
aprons. A few come from Canada and are of better quality. Value 5s. to
15s.

MARMOT.--Size 18 X 12 in. Is a rodent and is found in considerable
numbers in the south of Prussia. The fur is a yellowish brown and
rather harsh and brittle and has no underwool. Since, however, the
value of all good furs has advanced, dyers and manufacturers have made
very successful efforts with this fur. The Viennese have been
particularly successful, and their method has been to dye the skins a
good brown and then not put in the dark stripes, which exist in sable
and mink, until the garment or article is finished, thus obtaining as
perfectly symmetrical effects as if the articles were made of small
skins instead of large ones. Marmots are also found in North America,
Canada and China; the best, however, come from Russia. It should
always be a cheap fur, having so few good qualities to recommend it.
Value 9d. to 2s. 6d.

MARTEN, AMERICAN.--See _Sable_, below.

MARTEN, BAUM.--Size 16 X 5 in. Is sometimes called the pine marten,
and is found in quantity in the wooded and mountainous districts of
Russia, Norway, Germany and Switzerland. It possesses a thick
underwool with strong top hair, and ranges from a pale to a dark
bluish brown. The best, from Norway, are very durable and of good
appearance and an excellent substitute for American sable. The tails
when split into two or three, with small strips of narrow tape so as
to separate the otherwise dense fur, formerly made very handsome sets
of trimmings, ties and muffs, and the probabilities are, as with other
fashions, such use will have its period of revival. Value 6s. to 85s.

MARTEN, BLACK.--See _Skunk_, below.

MARTEN, JAPANESE.--Size 16 X 5 in. Is of a woolly nature with rather
coarse top hair and quite yellow in colour. It is dyed for the cheap
trade for boas and muffs, but it is not an attractive fur at the best
of times. It lacks a silky, bright and fresh appearance, and therefore
is unlikely to be in great demand, except where economy is an object.
Value 6s. 6d. to 18s. 6d.

MARTEN, STONE.--Size and quality similar to the baum; the colour,
however, of the underwool is a stony white and the top hair is very
dark, almost black. They live in rocky and stony districts. Skins of a
pale bluish tone are generally used in their natural state for stoles,
boas and muffs, but the less clear coloured skins are dyed in
beautiful shades similar in density to the dark and valuable sables
from Russia, and are the most effective skins that can be purchased at
a reasonable price. The tails have also been worked, in the manner
explained with regard to the baum marten, as sets of trimmings and in
other forms. Stone martens are found in Russia, Bosnia, Turkey,
Greece, Germany, the Alps and France. The Bosnian and the French are
the best in colour. The Asiatic sorts are less woolly, but being silky
are useful when dyed. There are many from Afghanistan and India which
are too poor to interest the European markets. Value 7s. 6d. to 26s.

MINK.--Size 16 X 5 in. Is of the amphibious class and is found
throughout North America and in Russia, China and Japan. The underwool
is short, close and even, as is also the top hair, which is very
strong. The best skins are very dark and are obtained from Nova
Scotia. In the central states of America the colour is a good brown,
but in the north-west and south-west the fur is coarse and generally
pale. It is very durable for linings, and is an economical substitute
for sable for coats, capes, boas and trimmings. Values have greatly
increased, and the fur possessing good qualities as to colour and
durability will doubtless always be in good request. The Russian
species is dark but flat and poor in quality, and the Chinese and
Japanese are so pale that they are invariably dyed. These, however,
are of very inferior nature. Value of American 3s. 3d. to 40s.,
Japanese 3d. to 2s. 3d.

MOLE.--Size 3-1/2 X 2-1/2 in. Moles are plentiful in the British Isles
and Europe, and owing to their lovely velvety coats of exquisite blue
shade and to the dearness of other furs are much in demand. Though the
fur is cheap in itself, the expense of dressing and working up these
little skins is considerable, and they possess the unique charm of an
exceptional colour with little weight of pelt; the quality of
resistance to friction is, however, so slight as to make them
expensive in wear. The best are the dark blue from the Fen district of
Cambridgeshire in England. Value 1/2d. to 2d.

MONGOLIAN LAMBS.--See _Lambs_, above.

MONKEY, BLACK.--Size 18 X 10 in. Among the species of monkeys only one
interests to any extent the fur trade, and that is the black monkey
taken on the west coast of Africa (_Colobus satanas_). The hair is
very long, very black and bright with no underwool, and the white pelt
of the base of the hair, by reason of the great contrast of colour, is
very noticeable. The skins were in 1850 very fashionable in England
for stoles, muffs and trimmings, and in America also as recently as
1890. They are now mostly bought for Germany and the continent. Value
6d. to 1s. 6d.

MOUFLON.--Size 30 X 15 in. Is a sheep found in Russia and Corsica and
now very little in demand, and but few are imported into Great
Britain. Many Mongolian goats with the long hairs pulled out are sold
as mouflon. Value 4s. to 10s. 6d.

MUSK-OX.--Size 6 X 3 ft. These animals have a dense coat of fine, long
brown wool, with very long dark brown hair on the head, flanks and
tail, and, in the centre, a peculiar pale oval marking. There is no
other fur that is so thick, and it is eminently suitable for sleighing
rugs, for which purpose it is highly prized in Canada. The musk-ox
inhabits the north part of Greenland and part of Canada, but in very
limited numbers. Value 10s. to 130s.

MUSQUASH or MUSK-RAT, BROWN and BLACK RUSSIAN.--Size 12 X 8 in. A very
prolific rodent of the amphibious class obtained from Canada and the
United States, similar in habit to the English vole, with a fairly
thick and even brown underwool and rather strong top dark hair of
medium density. It is a very useful fur for men's coat linings and
ladies' driving or motoring coats, being warm, durable and not too
heavy. If the colour were less motley and the joins between the skins
could be made less noticeable, it would be largely in demand for
stoles, ties and muffs. As it is, this fur is only used for these
smaller articles for the cheaper trade. It has, however, of later
years been "unhaired," the underwool clipped very even and then dyed
seal colour, in which way very useful and attractive garments are
supplied at less than half the cost of the cheaper sealskins. They do
not wear as well, however, as the pelt and the wool are not of a
strength comparable to those of sealskin. With care, however, such a
garment lasts sufficiently long to warrant the present outlay. Value
5-1/2d. to 1s. 9d.

There is a so-called black variety found in Delaware and New Jersey,
but the number is very small compared to the brown species. They are
excellent for men's coat linings and the outside of ladies' coats, for
stoles, muffs, collars and cuffs. Value 10d. to 3s. 7d.

The Russian musquash is very small, 7 X 4 in., and is limited in
numbers compared to the brown. Only a few thousands are imported to
London. It is of a very pretty silvery-blue shade of even wool with
very little silky top hair, having silvery-white sides and altogether
a very marked effect. The odour, however, even after dressing is
rather pungent of musk, which is generally an objection. Value 4s. to
6s. 6d.

NUTRIA.--Size 20 X 12 in. Is a rodent known in natural history as the
coypu, about half the size of a beaver, and when unhaired has not more
than half, generally less, the depth of fur, which is also not so
close. Formerly the fur was only used for hatters' felt, but with the
rise in prices of furs these skins have been more carefully removed
and--with improved dressing, unhairing and silvering processes--the
best provides a very effective and suitable fur for ladies' coats,
capes, stoles, muffs, hats and gloves, while the lower qualities make
very useful, light-weighted and inexpensive linings for men's or
women's driving coats. It is also dyed sealskin colour, but its woolly
nature renders it less effective than the more silky musquash. They
are obtained from the northern part of South America. Value is. 6d. to
6s. 6d.

OCELOT.--Size 36 X 13 in. Is of the nature of a leopard and prettily
marked with stripes and oblong spots. Only a few are now imported from
South America for carriage aprons or mats. The numbers are very
limited. Value 1s. to 2s. 6d.

OPOSSUM, AMERICAN.--Size 18 X 10 in. Is a marsupial, a class with this
exception not met with out of Australia. The underwool is of a very
close frizzy nature, and nearly white, with long bluish grey mixed
with some black top hair. It is only found in the central sections of
the United States. About 1870 in England it was dyed dark brown or
black and used for boas, muffs and trimmings, but until recently has
been neglected on the continent. With, however, recent experiments in
brown and skunk coloured dyes, it bids fair to become a popular fur.
Value 2-1/2d. to 5s. 6d.

OPOSSUM, AUSTRALIAN.--Size 16 X 8 in. Is a totally different nature of
fur to the American. Although it has wool and top hair, the latter is
so sparse and fine that the coat may be considered as one of close
even wool. The colour varies according to the district of origin, from
a blue grey to yellow with reddish tones. Those from the neighbourhood
of Sydney are light clear blue, while those from Victoria are dark
iron grey and stronger in the wool. These animals are most prolific
and evidently increasing in numbers. Their fur is pretty, warm and as
yet inexpensive, and is useful for rugs, coat linings, stoles, muffs,
trimmings and perambulator aprons. The worst coloured ones are
frequently dyed black and brown. The most pleasing natural grey come
from Adelaide. The reddest are the cheapest. Value 3-3/4d. to 3s. 6d.

OPOSSUM, RINGTAILED.--Size 7 X 4 in. Has a very short close and dark
grey wool, some being almost black. There are but a few thousands
imported, and being so flat they are only of use for coat linings, but
they are very warm and light in weight. Value 6d. to 10d.

OPOSSUM, TASMANIAN (grey and black).--Size 20 X 10 in. Is of a similar
description, but darker and stronger in the wool and larger. Besides
these there are some very rich brown skins which were formerly in such
request in Europe, especially Russia, that undue killing occurred
until 1899, when the government stopped for a time the taking of any
of this class. They are excellent for carriage aprons, being not only
very light in weight and warm, but handsome. Value 2s. 6d. to 8s. 6d.

OTTER, RIVER.--The size varies considerably, as does the underwool and
the top hair, according to the country of origin. There are few rivers
in the world where they do not live. But it is in the colder northern
regions that they are found in the greatest numbers and with the best
fur or underwool, the top hair, which, with the exception of the
scarce and very rich dark brown specimens they have in common with
most aquatic animals, is pulled out before the skins are manufactured.
Most of the best river otter comes from Canada and the United States
and averages 36 X 18 in. in size. Skins from Germany and China are
smaller, and shorter in the wool. The colours of the under wools of
river otters vary, some being very dark, others almost yellow. Both as
a fur and as a pelt it is extremely strong, but owing to its short and
close wool it is usually made up for the linings, collars and cuffs of
men's coats. A large number of skins, after unhairing, is dyed seal
colour and used in America. Those from hot climates are very poor in
quality. Value 28s. to 118s.

OTTER, SEA.--Size 50 X 25 in. Possesses one of the most beautiful of
coats. Unlike other aquatic animals the skin undergoes no process of
unhairing, the fur being of a rich dense silky wool with the softest
and shortest of water hairs. The colours vary from pale grey brown to
a rich black, and many have even or uneven sprinkling of white or
silvery-white hairs. The blacker the wool and the more regular the
silver points, the more valuable the skin. Sea otters are,
unfortunately, decreasing in numbers, while the demand is increasing.
The fur is most highly esteemed in Russia and China; in the latter
country it is used to trim mandarins' state robes. In Europe and
America it is much used for collar, long facings and cuffs of a
gentleman's coat; such a set may cost from L200 to L600, and in all
probability will soon cost more. Taking into consideration the size,
it is not so costly as the natural black fox, or the darkest Russian
sable, which is now the most expensive of all. The smaller and young
sea otters of a grey or brown colour are of small value compared to
the large dark and silvery ones. Value L10 to L220. A single skin has
been known to fetch L400.

OUNCE.--See _Leopard_, above.

PERSIAN LAMBS.--See _Lambs_, above.

PLATYPUS.--Size 12 X 8 in. One of the most singular of fur-bearing
animals, being the link between bird and beast. It has fur similar to
otter, is of aquatic habits, being web-footed with spurs of a cock and
the bill of a duck. The skins are not obtained in any numbers, but
being brought over by travellers as curiosities and used for muffs,
collars and cuffs, &c., they are included here for reference. Value
2s. to 3s. 6d.

_Pony_ or _Tatar Foal._--Size 36 X 20 in. These skins are of
comparatively recent importation to the civilized world. They are
obtained from the young of the numerous herds of wild horses that roam
over the plains of Turkestan. The coat is usually a shade of brown,
sometimes greyish, fairly bright and with a suggestion of waviness.
Useful for motor coats. Value 3s. to 10s. 6d.

PUMA.--Size 4-1/2 X 3 ft. Is a native of South America, similar to a
lion in habits and colour of coat. The hair and pelt is, however, of
less strength, and only a few are now used for floor rugs. Value 5s.
to 10s.

RACCOON.--Size 20 X 12 in. Is an animal varying considerably in size
and in quality and colour of fur, according to the part of North
America in which it is found. In common parlance, it may be described
as a species of wild dog with close affinity to the bear. The
underwool is 1 to 1-1/2 in. deep, pale brown, with long top hairs of a
dark and silvery-grey mixture of a grizzly type, the best having a
bluish tone and the cheapest a yellowish or reddish-brown. A limited
number of very dark and black sorts exist and are highly valued for
trimmings. The very finest skins are chiefly used for stoles and
muffs, and the general run for coachmen's capes and carriage rugs,
which are very handsome when the tails, which are marked with rings of
dark and light fur alternately, are left on. Raccoons are used in
enormous quantities in Canada for men's coats, the fur outside. The
poorer qualities are extensively bought and made up in a similar way
for Austria-Hungary and Germany. These make excellent linings for
coats or footsacks for open driving in very cold climates. The worst
coloured skins are dyed black or brown and are used for British
military busbies, or caps, stoles, boas, muffs and coachmen's capes.
The best skins come from the northern parts of the United States. A
smaller and poorer species inhabits South America, and a very few are
found in the north of India, but these do not interest the European
trade. From Japan a similar animal is obtained in smaller quantities
with very good but longer fur, of yellowish motley light-brown shades.
It is more often imported and sold as Japanese fox, but its
resemblance to the fur of the American raccoon is so marked as to
surely identify it. When dyed dark blue or skunk colour it is
good-looking and is sold widely in Europe. Raccoon skins are also
frequently unhaired, and if the underwool is of good quality the
effect is similar to beaver. It is the most useful fur for use in
America or Russia, having a full quantity of fur which will retain
heat. Value 10d. to 26s.

SABLE, AMERICAN and CANADIAN.--Size 17 X 5 in. The skins are sold in
the trade sale as martens, but as there are many that are of a very
dark colour and the majority are almost as silky as the Russian sable,
the retail trade has for generations back applied the term of sable to
this fur. The prevailing colour is a medium brown, and many are quite
yellow. The dyeing of these very pale skins has been for so long well
executed that it has been possible to make very good useful and
effective articles of them at a moderate price compared to Russian
sable. The finest skins are found in the East Main and the Esquimaux
Bay, in the Hudson's Bay Company's districts, and the poorest in
Alaska. They are not found very far south of the northern boundary of
the United States. The best skins are excellent in quality, colour and
effect, and wear well. Value 27s. 3d. to 290s.

SABLE, CHINESE and JAPANESE.--Size 14 X 4-1/2 in. These are similar to
the Amur skins previously referred to, but of much poorer quality and
generally only suitable for linings. The very palest skins are dyed
and made by the Chinese into mandarins' coats, in which form they are
found in the London trade sales, but being overdressed they are
inclined to be loose in the hair and the colour of the dye is not
good. The Japanese kind are imported raw, but are few in numbers, very
pale and require dyeing. Value 15s. to 150s.

SABLE, RUSSIAN.--Size 15 X 5 in. These skins belong to a species of
marten, very similar to the European and American, but much more silky
in the nature of their fur. They have long been known as "sables,"
doubtless owing to the density of colour to which many of them attain,
and they have always been held in the highest esteem by connoisseurs
as possessing a combination of rare qualities. The underwool is close,
fine and very soft, the top hair is regular, fine, silky and flowing,
varying from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 in. in depth. In colour they range from a
pale stony or yellowish shade to a rich dark brown, almost black with
a bluish tone. The pelts are exceedingly fine and close in texture
and, although of little weight, are very durable, and articles made of
them produce a sensation of warmth immediately they are put upon the
body.

The Yakutsk, Okhotsk and Kamschatka sorts are good, the last being the
largest and fullest furred, but of less density of colour than the
others. Many from other districts are pale or yellowish brown, and
those from Saghalien are poor in quality. The most valuable are the
darkest from Yakutsk in Siberia, particularly those that have silvery
hairs evenly distributed over the skin. These however are exceedingly
scarce, and when a number are required to match for a large garment,
considerable time may be necessary to collect them. This class of skin
is the most expensive fur in the world, reckoning values by a square
foot unit.

The Amur skins are paler, but often of a pretty bluish stony tone with
many frequently interspersed silvery hairs. The quality too is lower,
that is, the fur is not so close or deep, but they are very effective,
particularly for close-fitting garments, as they possess the least
appearance of bulk. The paler skins from all districts in Siberia are
now cleverly coloured or "topped," that is, just the tips of the hair
are stained dark, and it is only an expert who can detect them from
perfectly natural shades. If this colouring process is properly
executed it remains fairly fast. Notwithstanding the reported rights
of the Russian imperial authorities over some regions with respect to
these and other valuable fur-bearing animals, there are in addition to
the numbers regularly sent to the trade auction sales in London many
good parcels of raw skins to be easily bought direct, provided price
is not the first consideration. Value 25s. to 980s.

SEAL, FUR.--Sizes range from 24 X 15 in. to 55 X 25 in., the width
being taken at the widest part of the skin after preparation. The
centre of the skin between the fins is very narrow and the skins taper
at each end, particularly at the tail. The very small pups are of a
beautiful quality, but too tiny to make into garments, and, as the aim
of a good furrier is to avoid all lateral or cross seams, skins are
selected that are the length of the garment that is to be made. The
most useful skins for coats are the large pups 42 in. long, and the
quality is very good and uniform. The largest skins, known in the
trade as "wigs," which range up to 8 ft. in length, are uneven and
weak in the fur, and hunters do not seek to obtain them. The supply of
the best sort is chiefly from the North Pacific, viz. Pribilof
Islands, Alaska, north-west coast of America, Copper Island of the
Aleutian group near to Kamschatka, Robben Island and Japan. Other
kinds are taken from the South Pacific and South Atlantic Oceans,
around Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands up to Lobos Islands at the
entrance of the La Plata river, off the Cape of Good Hope and Crozet
Isles. With, however, the exception of the pick of the Lobos Island
seals the fur of the southern sea seals is very poor and only suitable
for the cheapest market. Formerly many skins were obtained from New
Zealand and Australia, but the importation is now small and the
quality not good. The preparation of seal skin occupies a longer time
than any other fur skin, but its fine rich effect when finished and
its many properties of warmth and durability well repay it. Value 10s.
to 232s.