Beaver (Castor fiber).-Asia, 20,000; America, 200,000. The best come from Labrador and Moon Fort. Size, 2 ft. x 3 ft.; overhair, 3 in. long, coarse, brown ; fur, fine, thick, dark-grey. Usually come as "parchment," i. e. cut open, stretched to a hoop, and dried; when made up by the Indians, are called " beaver coats," and bring good prices. Values : in America, 4-12s. a lb. for "raw parchment" ; London, 24-42s. each for 1st large, 19-32s. for 2nds, 12-17s. for 3rds, 9-17s. for 1st and 2nd small, 4s. 6d.-9s. 6d. for 3rd small and cub. Uses, very varied ; much prized in Russia and China; no longer appreciably employed io hat-making.
Cat.-Domestic, 1,000,000 ; wild, 10,000. In wild cats, the overhair and fur are thin and coarse ; colour, grey. Domestic are superior, and of various colours ; the best come from Holland, where they are fed on fish, and bred for their skins ; the worst are Russian. Great numbers are collected in Holstein, Bavaria, Switzerland, &c. Civet cats (Viverra sp. div.) furnish a few skins of no great note. The Formosan wild cat (Felis viverrina) furnishes a pretty, soft fur, much in demand in China at 4s. 6d. each. Shanghae, in 1878, shipped 1380 cat-skins to foreign countries, and 8400 to Chinese ports. Values, 4-8s. for best black, 2-5s. for common 1st, 10d.-1s. 9d. for 2nds and 3rds. Uses, very general for lining, trimming, &c.
Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera).-Peru and Chili, 100,000. Two kinds, real and bastard. Real : size, 8 in. x 12 in.; overhair and fur, i in. long, very fine colour, silver-grey and dark grey ; best from Peru. Values, 160s. a doz. for large, 100s. for middling, 16s. for small, 46-86.s. for dry damaged. Uses, muffs, tippets, linings, trimmings, &c. Bastard : smaller ; short, weak fur ; come from Chili. Value, 13s. 9d.-16s. 3d. a doz. In 1879, the Chinon province of Caldera shipped 601 doz. to England, and 30 doz. to the United States ; but the trade is dying out, owing to the increasing scarcity of the animals. The province of Coquimbo exports considerable numbers to Great Britain, France, and the United States, the local value ranging from 5s. to 9s. a doz.
Ermine or Stoat (Mustela erminea).-Asia and Europe, 400,000. Common in most countries, but it is only in Russia, Sweden, Norway, and Siberia that the coat becomes pure white in winter. Size, 4 in. x 10 in.; overhair and fur, fine, soft and close; colour, pure white, with black-tipped tail; skin, thin and tough. Best come from Barabinsk and Ischim, in Siberia. Value, 6d.-6s. Uses, muffs, cloaks, and linings.
Fisher, Pekan, or (X americana [canadensis]).-America, 12,000. Size, 15 in. x 30 in. ; overhair, 2 in. long, very fine, glossy, dark, and durable; fur, close; tail, 12 in.
long, bushy and dark, much valued in Russia. Best from Canada. Values, 40-80s. for 1st, 30-40s. for 2nds and pale, 22-32s. for 3rds. Used for ornament.
Fitch or Polecat (Putorius fcetidus).-Europe, 600,000. Size, 5 in. x 15 in. to 8 in. x 20 in.; overhair, 1.1 in. long, fine, with dark points ; fur, goldeu-yellow. Peculiarly odorous. Best from Germany, Denmark, and Holland ; smallest from Russia. Value, 2-6s. Uses, ladies' muffs, &c. ; the long overhairs are employed in artists' pencils.
Fox.-Silvor or Bleck fox (Vulpes argentatus): America and Asia, 2000. Size, 2 ft. X 4 ft. ; overlmir, 3 in. long, thick and fine: colour, pale-silver to brilliant bloe-black ; fur, fine and curly; tail, very handsomo ; considered one of the finest fancy furs ; choicest are from Labrador and Moon Fort ; Russian are woolly and inferior. Values, 200-800s. for lsts, 120-280s. for 2nds, 35-130s. for 3rds. Used for robes, muffs, &c. Cross fox (V. fulvus var. decussatus): Asia and America, 10,000. Size, somewhat less than the silver fox ; overhair, fine, but shaded with red at the points, and forming a distinct cross on the shoulders. Best from Hudson's Bay territory. Values, 35-140s. for lets, 20-50s. for 2nds, 9-34s. for 3rds. Blue or Sooty fox (V. fuligonus): Europe and America, 7000. Size, same as the cross fox ; overhair, grey-blue ; fur, woolly. The finest are from Arch angel, Greenland, and Iceland; very few come from America. Values, 50-80s. for Ists, for gods, 15-30, for 3rds. White or Arctic fox ( lagopus): Arctic regions, 75,000. Size, same as the cross ; overhair and fur, pure white. The best are from Labrador, the worst from Siberia. Values,' 12-18s. for lets, 7-15s. for 2nds, 3-10s. for 3rds. Grey fox ( V. virginianus): United States, 30,000. Overhair, grey, sprinkled with silver on the back ; sides, yellow ; tail, ashen-grey ; fur, coarse. Values, 4-8s. for lets, 2s. 6d.-3s. 9d. for 2nds, 1-28. for 3rds. Kitt fox( V. voles [cinereo-argentatus]): America, 40,000. Found in N.-W. America, and in Tartary. Smallest of the foxes. Overhair, fine ; back, pure grey ; sides, yellow ; belly, white ; fur, coarse. Values, 2s. 6d.-3s. for Ists, 1-2s. for 2nds and 3rds. Red or common fox (V. fulvus and V, vulgaris): Europe and Asia, 300,000 ; America, 60,000. Abundant in all northern countries, hut the American fur is much superior to the European; the best are from Labrador. Large numbers, the produce of the Caucasus, are sold at Tiflis. Shanghac exported 2106 fox-skins in 1878. Values, 9-20s. for lsts, 8-15s. for 2uds, 38.6d.-10s. 6d. for 3rds.