Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-09-16
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VALUABLE MAINE PElTs
An Island Colony of Foxes, Some of H..
With Skins Worth s4Oo

With Skins Worth s4Oo.
There is an island off the coos.
Maine, six miles outside Of Bootbh..
harbor, where the rarest of one sreo;,.
of fur bearing animals are found
numbers. They are black and siIrn.
foxes, and it may be said in begipn;r,
that they did not get on the Island ).
themselves.
A few years ago Thomas F. Morgan
Of Groton, Conn, who was summeri,,
at Boothbay harbor, conceived the iass
of stocking II of the numerous island,
In that vicinity with black and yilvs.
foxes, hat are now almost extipct in
the wild state. He looked around for
suitable island and finally hit unop
Outer Heron as possessing all the cnnd.
lions necessary to the success of surb ,
colony as he desired to plant. Oute,
Heron is a wooded island of 100 acres .,
so, with considerable elevation and bold
rocky shores. 1t has plenty Of fresh wa.
ter, and its dense growth of spruces
pines and frs breaks the force of winter
gales. There is a good dwelling house
on the island, and in winter a dozen or
more lobster fishermen live in shanties |
around the little cove that serves as a |
harbor. The island was owned by Rich
ard II. Emerson, a veteran, who resided
at East Boothbay. From him Mr.. Nor.
gan obtained permission, in considera.
tion of a yearly rental, to stock the is.
land with foxes.
An order was sent by Mr.. Morgan to
a fur company, engaged in breeding
black foxes ON an island in Alaska. for
a consignment of the animals, and 80
good specimens We're started east. The
journey took many months, being made
by vessel and steamer to San Francisco
and thence overland, and when the con-
signment arrived at Boothbay harbor
only seven of the foxes were alive.
These were put on Outer Heron about
a year ago, and they have thrived and
multiplied from all indications. A few
months ago a company was formed I'M
der the laws Of Maine TO foster the in
dustry Mr.. Morgan thinks he will make
bul vi liz ioA 1GilSlbS bNt1Aii'ES bi CAlNl
Heron. Mr.. Knight has the reputation
of being one of the best fox hunters in
his county. He is familiar with the
| ways of the red fox, and has shot as
many Of that variety as would stock two
| or three islands like Cater Heron, lie
is obliged TO confess, however, that he
knows very little about the black fox.
He has set about the task of studying
those on the island, but with slight sue
cess as yet, for the valuable deniZens Of
Outer Heron are very shy, unless hun
CRY, and as this has been an open win
ter they have not suffered for food, Mr..
Knight talked ent~ertainingly about the
prospects of raising black foxes for mar
ket.
eve don't expect to get any returns
right away" said he, "but when VIZ
get the island well stocked we ought to
do well. Last year there Were only !, 200
black and silver fox skins sold III Lon.
don, the fur market of the world. They
nearly all came from Alaska, and they
We're Ia months on the way. If we can
raise skins here we can get them to
London ID months earlier than they
could be sent from Alaska.
1--WE intend to breed out all the light
strain, or silver foxes, from our stock.
A silver fox is by no means a cheap AMI
mal-the pelt of a good one Is worth
So to Sl00-but the black fox is much
more valuable, the pelts being worth US
high as $500 each"
Mr.. Knight is arranging a feed
ing pen for the animals i'll the barn on
the island. Recently a horse was taken
to the island and killed in the woods
The animals have fed on the carcass and
have kept out of sight of the settlement
at the shore. If driven out OF the woods
by snow to seek food, it is expected they
will come to the barn and feed, and thus
get the way of feeding there. After the
animals have become tame enough 70
feed at the barn Mr.. Knight intends 10
rig traps to catch them. All "sllvers
viii be sorted out and taken away, leav-
ing only those with very dark coats 1t
is expected that by this system OF breed
ing animals with entirely black coats
can be obtained. boston Globe.