The Monticellonian., 1905-02-23

bers of the creatures to get enough black tips for the furrier to prepare the ermine after the fashion demanded to-day, when ladies insist the unbecoming white be relieved by enough black to make it attractive.
 In summer the ermine is a sort of ma hogany brown, but in winter nature changes his coat to white so he may fit in with the snowy wastes about him and escape the eye of an enemy. But the small thing is set upon by relentless and untiring hunters, it's life sacrificed for the sake of it's beautiful coat. Ermine is obtained in northern Europe, northern Asia and the Hudson Bay district
 A white fur of singular beauty is the white fox, so fashionable this season for young girls The Arctic fox the small est of foxes, and one of the most beauti ful. is found in Labrador, Newfoundland and generally in the Arctic regions of North America; also in northern Eu- rope, northern Asia, in Iceland and Spifzbergen In summer this fox is a bluish gray, like the ermine putting on snowy coat in the winter. The fur ex- tends clear down over it's feet; it's tail is very bushy
 In contrast to the fHrs jHst mentioned fs the Russian sable. glorious fur. won Gerfully soft and silly, its rich daskiEess becoming to everyone 70 fortunate as to be able to ear il. IL is a very expensive fur. 90 many skins needed, the animal difficult to capture the trapper under going much hardship and no small dan ger in the pursuit of this particular rep resentatiye of the weasel family The sable is found at it's best in the coldest month of the year in cold Asiatic Rus sia. and in searching the wastes over which the tiny creatures roam not a few trappers lose their lives. The price Of $500 has been paiG for one skin. an ordi- nary skin is valued at from $25 to St00. The sable is also found in kamschatka. in Labrador forests, and on the borders of northern Canada
 In America We have sable of less value than that coming from Asiatic Russia, one known as the river marten. Not so costly as the Russian sable, yet it has a high value. The animal from which it is procured is about the size of a large eat, and it is gray With black spots. A gray fur of silky softness and exquisite tone is the chinchilla, and We Americans bring over large quantities of this fur every year from Europe.
 Sealskins cost from 30 to 40 per cent. more than they used to, though yet, strange to say, the fur is not so liked by Dame Fashion as in days when it's mar ket value was considerably less Seals are found almost exclusively now about Alaska, and are not captured farther south to the extent they once were The young seals are richest black in color, the older ones shade from black to gray, the gray on the shoulders, and they are reddish brown beneath. Though seal skin seems to have lost some of it's pres tige. it remains one of the most beauti- ful of the dark furs.
 The lynx is another dark fur of ex- tTeme beauty, the hair SO long ard glossy IL is found in Asia Minor, in northern Europe. and in North Ameri- ca The fur of the lynX Of Asia Minor shows thick tufts GH the thighs and spots of deepest iet oa the breast The sea ot- ter is another fur highly valued, and this animal is hunted ia Alaska islets and on Alaska reefs.
 INV