Arizona republican., 1907-10-24

by Russians in Asia and America, the skins of the Sea-Otters are the rfch<sc and most valuable These snfulas re- sort In great numbers to the Aleussar and Fox Islands: they are called hy the Russians. Boobry Morski Cfsobr MosxoD Of sea beavers. on account of the r-seus- blance of their fur to that of the common beaver" In the period of protection. prv- eeding our purchase of the Territory of Alaska. the aversee price of a sea-ofter skin was $50. With the ensuing de- crease In the supply the market val1s rose by leaps and bounds The ruling price in the London market of 1888. vas s10O; In 1889. 1t was sieO: in 1891. sz2o. in 1895. s35O: in 1898, $500. with ocrs- sional purchases at much higher nzurss- Since 1900. single skips put up to auction have frequently fetched more than si.ooo and in few instances have sosd as htwn as S1.5O0. prominent furrter recently remarked to the writer The ssa-otser .s fast becoming . rarity. Tn . few years the skins will sell entirely at fancy prscea We shall buy them On eonmisioa for wealthy customer. just e . dfanood merchant buys rare gems or . picture dealer . master-riece."
 We have comparatively utfie e1act knowledge of the ses-otte, and frs habits. The scattered descrfptions fn eccyelo- pedias and other technical works ere h. complete and often incorrect The drsv- ings of the animal arc especially faulty. even that of Wolf (proceedinss of tAs Geological Society of London. leo1. vhacn is the best, being open to crfticisn ou account of It's cas-like head
 The sea-ott1 (Enhydra lutr1s, e as full growth about i've feet ia snssA. is- cludins some ten inches of ooruss cynn- drical tall Its head resembles that of the sea-lion- but is lees sharp and s,- tenuated- Its black syss have . nshsr fierce expression. uniiks the niif Isos of the browu-eyed fur-seaL Ia snsn forefeet have i've short. weboed toes. Ies hind feet are similar to thoss of scala. being large. palmated nippers. furry os both sides The pelage consists of beau tiSul. thick. soft undermat of deep brown. somewhat lighter near the skin and fross- ed with the silver tips of long. setR hsirsI which are generally removed when the pelt Is dressed. On the head and Deek the fur bleaches to . gray color. The eklu lS " 1fdcA tu4k tD8 r&lk oL u0 - animal that measured but four feet win readily stretch to six e noxe
 The sea-otter, unlike the other membsn of its family, does not feed ou ordinary Ash. but eats musssls. clans. crabs and sea-urchins It's fenale resembles that of the fur-seal h having but one pup ss . birth. but 1t does not breed with tAs same regularity.
 That the exercise of ordinary fose- thought on the part of our government might have saved the sea-otter from fts impending extermination would seen to be proved by the experience of the Rus- Company and the example of the Copper Islanders. but ie is prob ably now too late for the adoption of any effective measures of preservation. Eveo the herd on the Commander Island has decreased In the pvt few years. and if is not reasonable to believe that the sss- otter will there escape for long the fafs that has everywhere else overtaken it
 The disappearance of this interesting creature will be the more deplorsble from the fact that It is the only representative of its branch of the Enhydris family.
 C. H. FORBES-LINDSAY.