The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-02
FURS OF WILD BEASTS
WHERE THEY ARE OBTAINED AND
THEIR COMPARATIVE VALUE.

Rabbit Fur For Hats--Russian Wolfskins.
Chinese Dogskin Robes--Animals of Cam
ada and ALASKA - Reverence Given to
White Beasts.
"White has always been considered a
mark Of distinction among beasts said
Ioologst. "You will find mention of that
fact in the Bible, fifth chapter of Judges.
The Indians Of this country used to regard
white buffalo hide as of exceptional val
ne, and for one such they would give sew
eral horses. Nowadays tine abougiues of
Alaska set such store by white marteu
skin that they will pay five ioXskins for
it. The reverence with which white ele-
plants are regarded in siam is well known.
In Africa King CetewayO, who was sub
dued by the British, kept a herd of royal
white cattle. They were said TO be very
beautiful. The zebu, or sacred OK of In
dia, is white. Blue by the way, is most
rare in mammals, the only species in
which that color is found being the b.
faced mandrill The SO called blue fox
rather deep drab.
"lt is curious fact that many wild an
imalS increase with the settlement of
country, feeding in the cultivated fields,
and thus procuring food more readily than
when the land was mreciaimed. An ex-
ample If this il afforded by the rabbit,
which has increased so enormously in
some parts Of the world-uotably in Aus
tralia and New Zealand, into which it was
imported In 1891 no less than 5, los bales
OF rabbit skins from New Zealand and
Australia were offered for sale in London.
Vast numbers are killed for the use Of
meat preserving companies, which put
them up in cans. In this shape they are
sold in great quantities for ships stores,
being u very cheap sort of meat. The fur
is chiefly used for making soft felt hats.
For this purpose the haig is cut OIL 10y ma
rhinery and passed through a blower,
which throws it into q revolving copper
disk Asitaccumulates it adheres togeth-
er and forms q sort OF cloth
1.-The prices for skins of all sorts depend
much ON fashion, and hence are apt to
tuctuate considerably from year to year.
A fine liouskiu with q black name is
worth $500, but the hide from a menag-
erie specimen of the royal beast, being
ever 50 handsome, will hardly bring more
than 5l?j. Tiger skins cost much less
than liCnskius, but the hide of white
tiger, which is an albino and extremely
rare, will fetch a small fortune. Tiger
claws are mounted for pins by jewellers
They are worth 81 or even more apiece in
the rough There is woolly tiger of Mon
golia which has fur Of great richness
The length and thickness Of the hair are
due to the fact that the animal lives in
cold region.
Domestic cats contribute largely to
the supplies Of the fur markets of the
world. OF late they have been turned to
commercial account in another shape,
many tons of them in the form of mum
mics, as embalmed by the ancient Egyp-
tians, being carried to England and sold
at a high price Tor manure. The substance
known in trade a. civet is obtained from
the so called 'civet cat. 1t is Of yellow
color and has the consistency of honey. Its
smell resem bles that of musk When un-
diluted the Odor is 50 powerful as to be Of
fensiye, but when properly mixed with
other substances it becomes agreeably ar
omatic and delicate. 1t is utilized chiefly
for mingling with and improving the bou-
Quet Of less costly scents Ciyet cats are
sometimes kept in wicker cages for the
purpose Of collecting this secretion, it is
said. The latter is used by women in the
north of Africa for powdering their necks.
1t is exported from Alden in horns.
Wolves furnish many skins to the fur
market. In Russia about 10 600 of them
are killed annually, reward Of 10 rubles
head being offered for them. During
1889 so, 600 of them were slain in the prov
iEce Of Wologda alone, the number Of per-
sons killed by wolves in the same province
that year being 203.
"Chinese dogs, belonging to a peculiar
breed native to that country, supply much
material for robes, good one requiring
eight skins. They are exported by way Of
Shanghai to London and New York. In
color they are black, white, fawn and mot
tied. About IS, 600 Of the hides are sold
in England annually. In Nantchooria and
eastern Mongolia are thousands of dog
farms, which rear all the way from a
score to hundreds Of these canine beasts
for market every year The skins take a
brilliant black dye and make excellent
sleigh robes. They ara used to a consid-
erable extent for making mems coats in
Canada. The skins of Siberian dogs are
likewise utilized as fur But the Siberian
animal which yields for its size the most
costly Of all furs is the sable 1t is only
about inches long, including the tail, and
in order to trap single specimen the hunt
er must often endure many a hard day Of
exposure and toll From Il, 900 to 25, 600
sables are caught annually, many Of the
pelts being employed in China for the robes
of mandarins
Another small and valuable fur bear
ing beast is the marten Of Canada and
Alaska. For centuries the trapper has
sought to capture it in the forests, its
precious skin going far to repay him for
his long winters tramp and toll The pelt,
made up into mulls, capes and boas, is
commonly but enormously known under
the name Of sable The tails are made
up separately into garments which fetch
very high prices. They are also used in
the manufacture Of the finest sable paint
brushes. No part Of the creature il lost.
Even the skins Of the paws are sold by the
pound to traders, who make them into
coat Innings and tobacco pouches. The
Hudson Bay company exports TO England
about 7O,O 600 Of the pelts annually. Yet
another little animal, mostly taken in ST
IBERIA, furnishes the ermine fur, which is
worn by the queen Of England and is also
used for the state robes of British peers.
Nevertheless it is no longer so fashiona-
BILE as it used to be, and hence is much
less costly than formerly. Washington
Star.