The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-15

rats, the skins in 1909 increasing 100 per cent
 An Advance in Price
 The fur, however Is unstable and the fine delicate hair wears badly and is a favorite breeding place for moths. Once the coat Is attacked with moths it is prac- tically valueless. Last year the muskrat brought 25 to S5 cents a skin. This year they are eagerly bought at 90 cents for the poorer or No quality, Vp to 75 cents for No 1. This price advance is true in a degree of all other furs. Black bear has gone up 10 to 15 cents. Beaver has fol- lowed with a smaller advance Silver foxes have gone up 100 per cent and other breeds of foxes have advanced 10 to 25 per cent.
 Last year lynx was the popular fur, and the long, delicate hair of the Canadian lynx dyed by the German method was considered the best fashion. Its popular ity was short lived, for there were many limitations. The fur most often used as a substitute for Canadian lynx was the prairie wolf or coyote. The limitations, | soon drove the real fur out of the mar ket, although there has been 15 per 1 cent advance in the price of lynx for the last year, and the supply Is limited Old trappers in Canada declare that good seasons for fur-bearing animals come in cycles, and these cycles are dependent upon the crop of rabbits. The great hunt ] ing ground of one year may be worthless the next because of a dearth of rabbits, upon which fur-bearng animals feed.
 Of all the Northern Canadian furs none 1 has stood the variation of fashion and time as well as mink. It Is popular as one of the best wearing furs. A fully | furred northern mink of dark or dark brown color Is worth s10 raw, and the price decreases for lighter shades down | to SIPS for No unprimed caught along the Pacific coast. All mink Is of value; and the skilled tanner can impart that delicate dye which the inexperienced would pass for No 1. Dyed furs are un- satisfactory, as the dye will wear of and leave an undesirable ashy color
 There is some question whether Lon- l don or New York sets the style each year. l London certainly sets the price, and each year, for some unacountable reason, al though attributed to various causes, the | style of fur changes. This year 1t may be mink, next year otter, and the year after muskrat, as is the case this season
 PribiIon Islands
 The greatest seal fisheries in the world are in the Pribiloff group of islands. Ac. quired from Russia along with the rest oi Alaska, they were leased first for theil | Iuib lotV, tio AldShd SOIHeTcldl COIn pany being the first lessee. They were discovered in 1886 by Gerassim Pribiloff, ( navigator in the employ of one of tht Russian trading companies, and are sit uated in Behring Sea, about 2o0o mile, rom Seattle, Wash. At the time f the discovery of these islands by the Russians fur seal. seat otter, walrus sea lions and foxes were found in amos unlimited numbers The killing of al these species of animals proceeded witt wanton prodigality from 17S6 until 1885 when the fur seal herd was reduced t, less than 100000.
 closed season was established on tn, islands from 1885 to 1S45-50, during whicl period only such seals were killed as wer necessary to furnish food and clothing fo the natives, while the killing of females was prohibited entirely. As a result O these drastic measures the herd was grad ually rehabilitated, and during the frs 20 years of American possession 100. % young male seals were killed annual, for commercial purposes From 1878 tt ! 1909, both inclusive there have been kille, in the islands about 510o,500 seals Sine 1870 over 2.500,00O skins. yielding reve nue to the government of over $10,0O0, ,OO