See also:

• FUR (connected with O. Fr. forre, a sheath or case; so " an outer covering ")

FUR (connected with O. Fr. forre, a sheath or See also:

• CASE
• CASE, JOHN (d. 1600)

case; so " an See also:

• OUTER

outer covering ")  , the name specially given to the covering of the skin in certain animals which are natives of the colder climates, lying alongside of another and longer covering, calledthe overhair . The See also:

• FUR (connected with O. Fr. forre, a sheath or case; so " an outer covering ")

fur differs from the overhair, in that it is soft, silky, See also:

• CURLY, JEAN NICOLAS (1774-1827)

curly, downy and barbed lengthwise, while the overhair is straight, smooth and comparatively rigid . These properties of fur constitute its essential value for felting purposes, and See also:

• MARK
• MARK, CARL (1858– )
• MARK, GOSPEL OF ST
• MARK, ST

mark its difference from See also:

• WOOL, WORSTED AND WOOLLEN MANUFACTURES

wool and See also:

• SILK

silk; the first, after some slight preparation by the aid of hot See also:

• WATER

water, readily unites its See also:

• FIBRES
• FIBRES (or FIBERS, in American spelling; from Lat. fibra, apparently connected either with filum, thread, or findere, to split)

fibres into a strong and compact See also:

• MASS (O.E. maesse; Fr. messe; Ger. Messe; Ital. messa; from eccl. Lat. missa)
• MASS, IN

mass; the others can best be managed by See also:

• SPINNING (from O. Eng. spinnen, to spin, cf. Ger. spinnen, &c., the Teut. root is seen, to draw out, cf. span, spider)

spinning and See also:

• WEAVING

weaving . On the living See also:

• ANIMAL
• ANIMAL (Lat. animalis, from anima, breath, soul)

animal the overhair keeps the fur filaments apart, prevents their tendency to See also:

• FELT (cognate with Ger. Filz, Du. vilt, Swed. and Dan. fill; the root is unknown; the word has given Med. Lat. filtrum, " filter ")

felt, 'and protects them from injury—thus securing to the animal an See also:

• IMMUNITY (from Lat. immunis, not subject to a munus or public service)

immunity from See also:

• COLD (in O. Eng. cald and ceald, a word coming ultimately from a root cognate with the Lat. gelu, gelidus, and common in the Teutonic languages, which usually have two distinct forms for the substantive and the adjective, cf. Ger. Kolte, kalt, Dutch koude

cold and See also:

• STORM (in O. Eng..storm, and so in Du. and Low Ger.; in O. H. Ger. and mod. Ger. Sturm; the root is probably that seen in " stir," to rouse, move, disturb, cf. Ger. storen)
• STORM, THEODOR WOLDSEN (1817-1888)

storm; while, as a See also:

• MATTER

matter of fact, this very overhair, though of an humbler name, is most generally the beauty and See also:

• PRIDE, THOMAS (d. 1658)

pride of the pelt, and marks its See also:

• CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

chief value with the furrier . We arrive thus at two distinct and opposite uses and values of fur . Regarded as useful for felt it is denominated See also:

• STAPLE

staple fur, while with respect to its use with and on the pelt it is called See also:

• FANCY (a shortened form, dating from the 15th century, of " fantasy," which is derived through the O. Fr. fantasie, modern fantaisie. from the Latinized form of the Gr. cbavraoia, Oavrai'ecv, Oat Pais, to show)

fancy fur . See also:

• HISTORY

History.—The manufacture of fur into a felt is of comparatively See also:

• MODERN

modern origin, while the use of fur pelts as a covering for the See also:

• BODY

body, for the See also:

• COUCH, DARIUS NASH (1822-1897)

couch, or for the See also:

• TENT

tent is coeval with the earliest history of all See also:

• NORTHERN

northern tribes and nations . Their use was not simply a barbarous expedient to defend See also:

• MAN
• MAN, ISLE OF (anc. Mona)

man from the rigours of an See also:

• ARCTIC (Gr. "ApKroc, the Bear, the northern constellation of Ursa Major)

arctic See also:

• WINTER, JOHN STRANGE
• WINTER, PETER (c. 1755-1825)

winter; See also:

• WOVEN

woven wool alone cannot, in its most perfect See also:

• FORM (Lat. forma)

form, accomplish this . The pelt or skin is requisite to keep out the piercing See also:

• WIND
• WIND (a common Teut. word, cognate with Skt. vats, Lat. ventus, cf. " weather," to be of course distinguished from to " wind," to coil or twist, O.Eng. windan, cf. "wander," "wend," &c.)

wind and See also:

• DRIVING (from " to drive," i.e. generally to propel, force along or in, a word common in various forms to the Teutonic languages)

driving storm, while the fur and overhair See also:

• WARD
• WARD, ADOLPHUS WILLIAM (1837- )
• WARD, ARTEMUS
• WARD, EDWARD MATTHEW (1816-1879)
• WARD, ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS (1844-1911)
• WARD, JAMES (1769--1859)
• WARD, JAMES (1843– )
• WARD, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS (1830-1910)
• WARD, LESTER FRANK (1841– )
• WARD, MARY AUGUSTA [MRS HUMPHRY WARD]
• WARD, WILLIAM (1766-1826)
• WARD, WILLIAM GEORGE (1812-1882)

ward off the cold; and " furs " are as much a See also:

• NECESSITY (Lat. necessitas)

necessity to-See also:

• DAY (O. Eng. dreg, Ger. Tag; according to the New English Dictionary, " in no way related to the Lat. dies")
• DAY, JOHN (1574-1640?)
• DAY, THOMAS (1748-1789)

day among more' northern peoples as they ever were in the days of barbarism . With them the providing of this necessary covering became the first purpose of their toil; subsequently it See also:

• GREW, NEHEMIAH (1641-1712)

grew into an See also:

• OBJECT

object of See also:

• BARTER (from Fr. barater, to truck, to exchange)

barter and See also:

• TRAFFIC

traffic, at first among themselves, and afterwards with their neighbours of more temperate climes; and with the latter it naturally became an See also:

• ARTICLE (from Lat. articulus, a joint)

article of See also:

• FASHION (adapted from Fr. facon, agon, Lat. factio, making, facere, to do or make)

fashion, of See also:

• ORNAMENT (Lat. ornare, to adorn)

ornament and of luxury . This, in brief, has been the history of its use in See also:

• CHINA

China, Tatary, See also:

• RUSSIA
• RUSSIA (Rossiya)

Russia, See also:

• SIBERIA

Siberia and See also:

• NORTH
• NORTH, BARONS
• NORTH, MARIANNE (1830—1890)
• NORTH, ROGER (1653-1734)
• NORTH, SIR THOMAS (1535?-16o1?)

North See also:

• AMERICA

America, and at See also:

• PRESENT

present the employment of fancy furs among civilized nations has grown to be more extensive than at any former See also:

• PERIOD
• PERIOD (Gr. irepioSos, a going or way round, circuit, aepi, round, and &Sis, way, road)

period . The See also:

• SUPPLY (through Fr. from Lat. supplere, to fill up)

supply of this demand in earlier times led to such severe competition as to terminate in tribal pillages and even See also:

• NATIONAL

national See also:

• WARS

wars; and in modern times it has led to commercial ventures on the See also:

• PART

part of individuals and companies, the See also:

• ACCOUNT
• ACCOUNT (through O. Fr. acont, Late Lat. comptum, cornputare, to calculate)

account of which, told in its plainest form, reads like the pages of See also:

• ROMANCE

romance .

Furs have constituted the See also:

• PRICE
• PRICE, BARTHOLOMEW (1818–1898)
• PRICE, BONAMY (1807-1888)
• PRICE, RICHARD (1723-1791)

price of redemption for roya captives, the gifts of emperors and See also:

• KINGS, FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF

kings, and the See also:

• PECULIAR

peculiar badge of See also:

• STATE
• STATE, GREAT OFFICERS OF

state functionaries . At the present day they See also:

• VIE

vie with See also:

• PRECIOUS (O. Fr. precios, mod. precieux, Lat. pretiosus, of high value or price, pretium)

precious gems and See also:

• GOLD
• GOLD [symbol Au, atomic weight 195.7(H = 1),197.2(0 =16)]

gold as ornaments and garniture for See also:

• WEALTH

wealth and fashion; but by their abundance, and the cheapness of some varieties, they have recently come within the reach of men of moderate incomes . The history of furs can be read in Marco See also:

• POLO (Tibetan pulu, ball)
• POLO, GASPAR GIL (?153o-1591)
• POLO, MARCO (c. 1254-1324)

Polo, as he grows eloquent with the description of the See also:

• RICH, BARNABE (c. 1540-1617)
• RICH, CLAUDIUS JAMES (1787-1821)
• RICH, JOHN (1692-1761)
• RICH, PENELOPE, LADY (c. 1562–1607)
• RICH, RICHARD, 1ST BARON RICH (1490?-1567)

rich skins of the See also:

• KHAN (from the Turki, hence Persian and Arabic Khan)

khan of Tatary; in the See also:

• EARLY
• EARLY, JUBAL ANDERSON (1816-1894)

early fathers of the See also:

• CHURCH
• CHURCH (according to most authorities derived from the Gr. Kvpcaxov [&wµa], " the Lord's [house]," and common to many Teutonic, Slavonic and other languages under various forms—Scottish kirk, Ger. Kirche, Swed. kirka, Dan. kirke, Russ. tserkov, Buig. cerk
• CHURCH, FREDERICK EDWIN (1826-1900)
• CHURCH, GEORGE EARL (1835–1910)
• CHURCH, RICHARD WILLIAM (1815–189o)
• CHURCH, SIR RICHARD (1784–1873)

church, who lament their introduction into See also:

• ROME
• ROME (Roma)

Rome and See also:

• BYZANTIUM

Byzantium as an See also:

• EVIDENCE (Lat. evidentia, evideri, to appear clearly)

evidence of barbaric and debasing luxury; in the See also:

• POLITICAL

political history of Russia, stretching out a powerful See also:

• ARM (a common Teutonic word; the Indo-European root is ar, to join or fit; cf. the Lat. armus, shoulder, and the plural word arma, weapons, Gr. apphs, joint, and the reduplicated apapilKSV, to join)

arm over Siberia to secure her rich treasures; in the See also:

• STORY, JOHN (c. 1510-1571)
• STORY, JOSEPH (1779-1845)
• STORY, ROBERT HERBERT (1835-1907)
• STORY, WILLIAM WETMORE (1819—1895)

story of the See also:

• FRENCH
• FRENCH, DANIEL CHESTER (1850– )
• FRENCH, NICHOLAS (1604-1678)

French occupation of See also:

• CANADA

Canada, and the ascent of the St See also:

• LAWRENCE
• LAWRENCE (LAURENTIUS, LORENZO), ST
• LAWRENCE, AMOS (1786—1852)
• LAWRENCE, AMOS ADAMS (1814–1886)
• LAWRENCE, GEORGE ALFRED (1827–1876)
• LAWRENCE, JOHN LAIRD MAIR LAWRENCE, 1ST BARON (1811-1879)
• LAWRENCE, SIR HENRY MONTGOMERY (1806–1857)
• LAWRENCE, SIR THOMAS (1769–1830)
• LAWRENCE, STRINGER (1697–1775)

Lawrence to See also:

• LAKE
• LAKE, GERARD LAKE, 1ST VISCOUNT (1744-1808)

Lake See also:

• SUPERIOR

Superior, and the subsequent contest to retain See also:

• POSSESSION
• POSSESSION (Lat. possessio, possidere, to possess)

possession against See also:

• ENGLAND
• ENGLAND, THE CHURCH OF

England; in the history of early settlements of New England, New See also:

• YORK
• YORK (HOUSE OF)
• YORK, EDMUND OF LANGLEY, DUKE OF (1341-1402)
• YORK, EDWARD
• YORK, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS, DUKE OF (1763-1827)
• YORK, RICHARD, DUKE

York and See also:

• VIRGINIA
• VIRGINIA, or VERGINIA
• VIRGINIA, UNIVERSITY OF

Virginia; in See also:

• IRVING, EDWARD (1792-1834)
• IRVING, SIR HENRY (1838-1905)
• IRVING, WASHINGTON (1783-18J9)

Irving's See also:

• ASTORIA

Astoria; in the records of the See also:

• HUDSON
• HUDSON, GEORGE (180o-1871)
• HUDSON, HENRY
• HUDSON, JOHN (1662–1719)

Hudson's See also:

• BAY

Bay See also:

• COMPANY

Company; and in the See also:

• ANNALS (Annales, from annus, a year)

annals of the fairs held at Nizhniy See also:

• NOVGOROD
• NOVGOROD (formerly known as V elikiy-Novgorod, Great Novgorod)

Novgorod and See also:

• LEIPZIG

Leipzig . Here it may suffice to give some account of the present See also:

• CONDITION (Lat. condicio, from condicere, to agree upon, arrange; not connected with conditio, from condere, conditum, to put together)

condition of the See also:

• TRADE (O. Eng. trod, footstep, from tredan, to tread; in M. Eng. the forms teed, trod and trade appear, the last in the sense of a beaten track)
• TRADE, BOARD OF

trade in fancy furs . The collection of skins is now chiefly a matter of private enterprise . Few, if any, monopolies exist . Natural Supplies.—We are dependent upon the See also:

• CARNIVORA

Carnivora, See also:

• RODENTIA

Rodentia, See also:

• UNGULATA

Ungulata and See also:

• MARSUPIALIA
• MARSUPIALIA (from Lat. marsupium, a "pouch," or "bag")

Marsupialia for our supplies of furs, the first two classes being by far of the greatest importance . The Carnivora include bears, wolverines, wolves, raccoons, foxes, sables, See also:

• MARTENS
• MARTENS, GEORG FRIEDRICH VON (1756-1821)

martens, skunks, kolinskis, See also:

• FITCH, JOHN (1743–1798)
• FITCH, RALPH (fl. 1583-1606)
• FITCH, SIR JOSHUA GIRLING (1824-1903)

fitch, fishers, ermines, See also:

• CATS, JACOB (1577-1660)

cats, See also:

• SEA (in O. Eng. sae, a common Teutonic word; cf. Ger. See, Dutch Zee, &c.; the ultimate source is uncertain)
• SEA, COMMAND OF THE

sea otters, fur See also:

• SEALS

seals, See also:

• HAIR (a word common to Teutonic languages)

hair seals, lions, tigers, leopards, lynxes, jackals, &c . The Rodentia include beavers, nutrias, See also:

• MUSK (Med. Lat. muscus, late Gr. µbvXos, possibly Pers. mushk, from Sansk. mushka, the scrotum)

musk-rats or See also:

• MUSQUASH

musquash, marmots, hamsters, chinchillas, See also:

• HARES

hares, rabbits, squirrels, &c . The Ungulata include See also:

• PERSIAN
• PERSIAN, SYRIAN, EGYPTIAN AND TURKISH

Persian, Astrachan,See also:

• CRIMEAN

Crimean, See also:

• CHINESE, JAPANESE AND

Chinese and See also:

• TIBET, or THIBET

Tibet See also:

• LAMBS

lambs, See also:

• MOUFLON
• MOUFLON, or MUFLON

mouflon, See also:

• GUANACO

guanaco, goats, ponies, &c. See also:

• SEX (Lat. sexes; possibly connected with secure, to cut)

sex and See also:

• AGE (Fr. age, through late Lat. aetaticum, from aetas)

age, in the killing for the purpose of equalizing the See also:

• NUMBERS, BOOK OF
• NUMBERS, PARTITION OF

numbers of the catches . As evidence of indiscriminate slaughter the See also:

• CASE
• CASE, JOHN (d. 1600)

case of the See also:

• AMERICAN

American buffaloes may be cited . At one See also:

• TIME (0. Eng. Lima, cf. Icel. timi, Swed. timme, hour, Dan. time; from the root also seen in " tide," properly the time of between the flow and ebb of the sea, cf. O. Eng. getidan, to happen, " even-tide," &c.; it is not directly related to Lat. tempus)
• TIME, MEASUREMENT OF
• TIME, STANDARD

time thousands of See also:

• BUFFALO

buffalo skins were obtainable and provided material for most useful coats and rugs for rough See also:

• WEAR

wear in cold regions, but to-day only a See also:

• HERD (a word common to Teutonic languages; the O. Eng. form was heord; cf. Ger. Herde, Swed. and Dan. hjord; the Sans. ca'rdhas, which shows the pre-Teutonic form, means a troop)

herd or so of the animals remain, and in captivity .

The See also:

• MAJORITY (Fr. majorite; Med. Lat. majoritas; Lat. major, greater)

majority of animals taken for their fur are trapped or snared, the See also:

• GUN

gun being avoided as much as possible in See also:

• ORDER
• ORDER (through Fr. ordre, for earlier ordene, from Lat. ordo, ordinis, rank, service, arrangement; the ultimate source is generally taken to be the root seen in Lat. oriri, rise, arise, begin; cf. " origin ")
• ORDER, HOLY

order that the coat may be quite undamaged . Many weary See also:

• HOURS, CANONICAL

hours are spent in setting baits, traps and wires, and, frequently, when the See also:

• HUNTER, JOHN (1728-1793)
• HUNTER, ROBERT MERCER TALIAFERRO (r8o9-1887)
• HUNTER, SIR WILLIAM WILSON (1840-19oo)
• HUNTER, WILLIAM (1718–1783)
• HUNTER, WILLIAM ALEXANDER (1844-1898)

hunter retraces his steps to collect the See also:

• QUARRY

quarry it is only to find it gone, devoured by some large animal that has visited his traps before him . After the skins have been carefully removed—the sooner after See also:

• DEATH

death the better for the subsequent condition of the fur—they are lightly tacked out, pelt outwards, and, without being exposed to the See also:

• SUN
• SUN (0. Eng. sonne, Ger. sonne. Fr. soleil, Lat. sol, Gr. ijXior, from which comes helio- in various English compounds)

sun or See also:

• CLOSE
• CLOSE (from Lat. clausum, shut)
• CLOSE, MAXWELL HENRY (1822-1903)

close contact with a See also:

• FIRE (in O. Eng. f j'r; the word is common to West German languages, cf. Dutch vuur, Ger. Feuer; the pre-Teutonic form is seen in Sanskrit pu, pavaka, and Gr. irup; the ultimate origin is usually taken to be a root meaning to purify, cf. Lat. purus)

fire, allowed to dry in a hut or shady See also:

• PLACE (through Fr. from Lat. platea, street; Gr. IrAar6s, wide)

place where there is some warmth or See also:

• MOVEMENT

movement of See also:

• AIR (from an Indo-European root meaning " breathe," " blow ")
• AIR, or ASBEN

air . With the exception of sealskins, which are pickled in brine, all raw skins come to the various trade markets simply dried like this . Quality and See also:

• COLOUR (Lat. color, connected with celare, to hide, the root meaning, therefore, being that of a covering)

Colour.—The best fur is obtained by killing animals when the winter is at its height and the colder the See also:

• SEASON (0. Fr. seson, seison, mod. saison, Lat. satio, sowing time, the spring, from serere, to sow; in Late Lat. the word is found with its present meaning, the spring being considered as particularly the season of the year)

season the better its quality and colour . Fur skins taken out of season are indifferent, and the hair is liable to See also:

• SHED

shed itself freely; a See also:

• GOOD, JOHN MASON (1764-1827)

good furrier will, however, reject such faulty specimens in the manufacturing . The finest furs are obtained from the Arctic and northern regions, and the See also:

• LOWER

lower the See also:

• LATITUDE (Lat. latitudo, latus, broad)

latitude the less full and silky the fur, till, at the torrid See also:

• ZONE (Gr. 'WV77, a girdle, from 'wvvLvay to gird)

zone, fur gives place to harsh hair without any underwool . The finest and closest wools are possessed by the amphibious Carnivora and Rodentia, viz. seals, otters, beavers, nutrias and musquash, the beauty of which is not seen until after the stiff water or See also:

• TOP (cf. Dan. top, Ger. Topf, also meaning pot)

top hairs are pulled out or otherwise removed . In this class of animal the underneath wool of the belly is thicker than that of the back, while the opposite is true of those found on the See also:

• LAND

land . The sea See also:

• OTTER
• OTTER (0. Eng. ate, otor, a common Teutonic word, cf. Dutch and Ger. Otter, Dan. odder, Swed. utter; it is to be referred to the root seen in Gr. 6&ep, water)
• OTTER, SEA

otter, one of the richest and rarest of furs, especially for men's wear, is an exception to this unhairing See also:

• PROCESS

process, which it does not require, the hair being of the same length as the wool, silky and See also:

• BRIGHT, JOHN (1811-188g)
• BRIGHT, SIR CHARLES TILSTON

bright, quite the See also:

• REVERSE

reverse of the case of other aquatic animals . Of sealskins there are two distinct classes, the fur seals and the hair seals . The latter have no growth of fur under the stiff top hair and are killed, with few exceptions (generally of the marbled seals), on account of the oil and See also:

• LEATHER (a word which appears in all Teutonic languages; cf. Ger. Leder, Dutch leer or leder, Swed. leder, and in such Celtic forms as Welsh llader)
• LEATHER, ARTIFICIAL

leather they yield .

The best fur seals are found off the See also:

• ALASKA

Alaska See also:

• COAST (from Lat. costa, a rib, side)

coast and down as far See also:

• SOUTH
• SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

south as See also:

• SAN

San Francisco . It is found that in densely wooded districts furs are darker in colour than in exposed regions, and that the quality of wool and hair is softer and more silky than those from See also:

• BARE

bare tracts of See also:

• COUNTRY (from the Mid. Eng. contre or contrie, and O. Fr. cuntree; Late Lat. contrata, showing the derivation from contra, opposite, over against, thus the tract of land which fronts the sight, cf. Ger. Gegend, neighbourhood)

country, where nature exacts from its creatures greater efforts to secure See also:

• FOOD
• FOOD (like the verb " to feed," from a Teutonic root, whence O. Eng. foda; cf. " fodder "; connected with Gr. lrareicOae, to feed)

food, thereby developing stronger limbs and a consequently coarser body covering . As regards See also:

• DENSITY (Lat. densus, thick)

density of colour the See also:

• SKUNK
• SKUNK (probably derived from " Seecawk," the Cree name for the skunk; another form given is " seganku ")

skunk or See also:

• BLACK
• BLACK, ADAM (1784-1874)
• BLACK, JEREMIAH SULLIVAN (1810–1883)
• BLACK, WILLIAM (1841-1898)

black See also:

• MARTEN
• MARTEN, AMERICAN
• MARTEN, HENRY (1602-1680)
• MARTEN, JAPANESE
• MARTEN, STONE

marten has the blackest fur, and some cats of the domestic See also:

• KIND (O. E. ge-cynde, from the same root as is seen in " kin," supra)

kind, specially reared for their fur, are nearly black . Black bears have occasion-ally very black coats, but the majority have a brownish under-wool . The natural black See also:

• FOX
• FOX, C
• FOX, CHARLES JAMES (1749-1806)
• FOX, EDWARD (c. 1496-1538)
• FOX, GEORGE (1624-1691)
• FOX, RICHARD (c. 1448-1528)
• FOX, ROBERT WERE (1789—1877)
• FOX, SIR STEPHEN (1627–1716)
• FOX, SIR WILLIAM (1812-1893)

fox is a member of the See also:

• SILVER

silver fox See also:

• FAMILY

family and is very rare, the skins bringing a high price . Most silver foxes have dark necks and in some the dark shade runs a See also:

• QUARTER (through Fr. from Lat. quartarius, fourth part)

quarter, See also:

• HALF

half-way, or three-quarters, or even the whole length of the skin, but it is rather of a brownish See also:

• HUE

hue . Some See also:

• RUSSIAN

Russian sables are of a very dense bluish See also:

• BROWN
• BROWN, CHARLES BROCKDEN (1771-181o)
• BROWN, FORD MADOX (1821-1893)
• BROWN, FRANCIS (1849- )
• BROWN, GEORGE (1818-188o)
• BROWN, HENRY KIRKE (1814-1886)
• BROWN, JACOB (1775–1828)
• BROWN, JOHN (1715–1766)
• BROWN, JOHN (1722-1787)
• BROWN, JOHN (1735–1788)
• BROWN, JOHN (1784–1858)
• BROWN, JOHN (1800-1859)
• BROWN, JOHN (1810—1882)
• BROWN, JOHN GEORGE (1831— )
• BROWN, ROBERT (1773-1858)
• BROWN, SAMUEL MORISON (1817—1856)
• BROWN, SIR GEORGE (1790-1865)
• BROWN, SIR JOHN (1816-1896)
• BROWN, SIR WILLIAM, BART
• BROWN, THOMAS (1663-1704)
• BROWN, THOMAS (1778-1820)
• BROWN, THOMAS EDWARD (1830-1897)
• BROWN, WILLIAM LAURENCE (1755–1830)

brown almost a black, which is the origin undoubtedly of the See also:

• TERM

term " sables," while some, from one See also:

• DISTRICT

district in particular, have a quantity of silver hairs, evenly interspersed in the fur, a peculiarity which has nothing to do with age . The best sea otters have very dark coats which are highly esteemed, a few with silver hairs in parts; where these are equally and evenly spread the skins are very valuable . Otters and beavers that run dark in the hair or wool are more valuable than the paler ones, the wools of which are frequently touched with a chemical to produce a See also:

• GOLDEN

golden shade . This is also done with nutrias after unhairing . The darker sorts of See also:

• MINK

mink, The Marsupialia include opossums, wallabies and kangaroos . These, of course, could be subdivided, but for See also:

• GENERAL
• GENERAL (Lat. generalis, of or relating to a genus, kind or class)

general purposes of the fur trade the above is deemed sufficient .

The question frequently arises, not only for those interested in the See also:

• PRODUCTION (Lat. productionem, from producere, to pro-duce)

production of fur See also:

• APPAREL (from O. Fr. aparail, aparailler, mod. appareil, from Low Lat. adpariculare, to make fit. or equal)

apparel, but for those who derive so much comfort and See also:

• PLEASURE (through Fr. plaisir from Lat. placere, to please; Gr. rlbovii)

pleasure from its use, whether the supply of fur-bearing animals is likely to be exhausted . Although it is a fact that the demand is ever increasing, and that some of the rarer animals are decreasing in numbers, yet on the other See also:

• HAND
• HAND (a word common to Teutonic languages; cf. Ger. Hand, Goth. handus)
• HAND, FERDINAND GOTTHELF (1786-185r)

hand some kinds of furs are occasionally neglected through vagaries of fashion, which give nature an opportunity to replenish their source . These respites are, however, becoming fewer every day, and what were formerly the most neglected kinds of furs are becoming more and more sought after . The supply of some of the most valuable, such as See also:

• SABLE
• SABLE, AMERICAN
• SABLE, CHINESE
• SABLE, MADELEINE DE SOUVRE, MARQUISE DE (1599—1678)
• SABLE, RUSSIAN

sable, silver and natural black fox, sea otter and See also:

• ERMINE

ermine, which are all taken from animals of a more or less shy nature, does very gradually decrease with persistent See also:

• HUNTING (the verbal substantive from " hunt "; O. Eng. huntian, hunta; apparently connected with O. Eng. hentan, Gothic hinpan, to capture, O.H.G. hunda,booty)

hunting and the encroachment of man upon the districts where they live, but the See also:

• CLIMATE

climate of these vast regions is so cold and inhospitable that the probabilities of man ever permanently inhabiting them in numbers sufficient to scare away or exterminate the fur-bearing See also:

• WILD, JONATHAN (c. 1682-1725)

wild animals is unlikely . Besides these there are many useful, though See also:

• COMMONPLACE

commonplace, fur-bearing animals like mink, musquash, skunk, See also:

• RACCOON
• RACCOON (or RACOON)

raccoon, See also:

• OPOSSUM
• OPOSSUM, AUSTRALIAN
• OPOSSUM, RINGTAILED
• OPOSSUM, TASMANIAN (grey and black)

opossum, See also:

• HAMSTER

hamster, See also:

• RABBIT

rabbit, hares and moles, that thrive by depredations upon cultivated land . Some of these are reared upon extensive wild farms . In addition there are domestic fur-bearing animals, such as Persian, Astrachan and Chinese lambs, and goats, easily bred and available . With regard to the rearing of the Persian See also:

• LAMB (a word common to Teutonic languages; cf. Ger. Lamm)
• LAMB, CHARLES (1775–1834)

lamb, there is a prevalent See also:

• IDEA (Gr. Ibia, connected with i&eiv, to see; cf. Lat. species from specere, to look at)

idea that the skins of the unborn lamb are frequently used; this, however, is a See also:

• MISTAKE (i.e. take amiss)

mistake . A few 'such skins have been taken, but they are too delicate to be of any service . The youngest, known as " broadtails," are killed when a few days old, but for the well-See also:

• DEVELOPED

developed curly fur, the lambs must be six or seven See also:

• WEEKS, EDWIN LORD (1849-1903)

weeks old . During these weeks their bodies are covered with leather so that the fur may develop in close, See also:

• LIGHT

light and clean curls . The experiment has been tried of rearing rare, wild, fur-bearing animals in captivity, and although See also:

• CLIMATIC

climatic conditions and food have been precisely as in their natural environment, the fur has been poor in quality and See also:

• BAD, BCD

bad in colour, totally unlike that taken from animals in the wild state .

The sensation of fear or the restriction of movement and the obtaining of food without exertion evidently prevent the normal development of the creature . In mountainous districts in the more temperate zones some good supplies are found . Chinchillas and nutrias are obtained from South America, whence come also See also:

• CIVET

civet cats, jaguars, ocelots and pumas . Opossums and wallabies, good useful furs, come from See also:

• AUSTRALIA

Australia and New See also:

• ZEALAND (also SEALAND Or SEELAND; Danish Sjaelland)

Zealand .. The martens, foxes and otters imported from See also:

• SOUTHERN

southern See also:

• EUROPE

Europe and southern See also:

• ASIA

Asia, are very mixed in quality, and the majority are poor compared with those of Canada and the north . Certain characteristics in the skin reveal to the See also:

• EXPERT (Lat. expertus, from experiri, to try)

expert from what See also:

• SECTION
• SECTION (Lat. sectio, cutting, secare, to cut)

section of territory they come, but in classifying them it is considered sufficient to mention territories only . Some of the poorer sorts of furs, such as hamster, See also:

• MARMOT

marmot, Chinese goats and lambs, Tatar ponies, weasels, See also:

• KALUGA

kaluga, various monkeys, antelopes, foxes, otters, jackals and others from the warmer zones, which until recently were neglected on account of their inferior quality of colour, by the better class of the trade, are now being deftly dressed or dyed in Europe and America, and good effects are produced, although the lack of quality when compared with the better furs from colder climates which possess full top hair, close underwool and supple leathers, is readily See also:

• MANIFEST (Lat. manifestus, clear, open to view)

manifest . It is only the pressure of increasing demand that makes marketable hard pelts with harsh brittle hair of nondescript hue, and these would, naturally, be the last to attract the See also:

• NOTICE

notice of dealers . As it is impossible that we shall ever discover any new fur-bearing animals other than those we know, it behoves responsible authorities to enforce close seasons and restrictions, as to the musquash, raccoon and See also:

• WOLVERINE

wolverine are more valuable than the paler skins . Collective Supplies and Sales.—There are ten large American and See also:

• CANADIAN

Canadian companies with extensive systems for gathering the See also:

• ANNUAL

annual hauls of skins from the far-scattered trappers . These are the Hudson's Bay Co., Russian Fur Co., Alaska Commercial Co., North American Commercial Co., Russian Sealskin Co., See also:

• HARMONY (Gr. dpµovia, a concord of musical sounds, dpA'ew to join; &plan midi (sc. TeXvil)

Harmony Fur Co., Royal See also:

• GREENLAND (Danish, &c., Gronland)

Greenland Fur Co., American Fur Co., See also:

• MISSOURI

Missouri Co. and Pacific Co . Most of the raw skins are forwarded to about half-a-dozen brokers in See also:

• LONDON

London, who roughly sort them in convenient lots, issuing catalogues to the traders of the See also:

• WORLD

world, and after due time for examination of the goods by intending purchasers, the lots are sold by public See also:

• AUCTION

auction .

The See also:

• PRINCIPAL

principal sales of general furs are held in London in See also:

• JANUARY

January and See also:

• MARCH
• MARCH (1) (from Fr. marcher, to walk; the earliest sense in French appears to be " to trample," and the origin has usually been found in the Lat. marcus, hammer; Low Lat. marcare, to hammer; hence to beat the road with the regular tread of a soldier: cf.
• MARCH, AUZIAS (c. "1395-1458)
• MARCH, EARLS OF
• MARCH, FRANCIS ANDREW (1825– )

March, smaller offerings being made in See also:

• JUNE

June and See also:

• OCTOBER

October; while the bulk of fur sealskins is sold separately in See also:

• DECEMBER (Lat. decent, ten)

December . The Hudson's Bay Co.'s sales take place before the others, and, as no reserves are placed on any See also:

• LOT
• LOT (Lat. Oltis)

lot, the results are taken as exactly indicating current values . While many buyers from America and Russia are personally in attendance at the sales, many more are represented by London and Leipzig agents who buy for them upon See also:

• COMMISSION (from Lat. commissio, committere)

commission . In addition to the fur skins coming from North America vast numbers from Russia, Siberia, China, See also:

• JAPAN

Japan, Australia and South America are offered during the same periods at public auction . Fairs are also held in Siberia, Russia and See also:

• GERMANY
• GERMANY (Ger. Deutschland)

Germany for the See also:

• DISTRIBUTION (Lat. distribuere, to deal out)

distribution of fur skins as follows: January: See also:

• FRANKFORT

Frankfort-on-the- Small collection of See also:

• PRO

pro- See also:

• ODER (Lat. Viadua; Slavonic, Vjodr)

Oder vincial produce, such as otter, fox, filch and marten . See also:

• FEBRUARY

February: See also:

• IRBIT

Irbit, Siberia . . General Russian furs . See also:

• EASTER

Easter: Leipzig, Germany General furs . See also:

• AUGUST (originally Sextilis)

August: Nizhniy Novgorod, Persian lamb and general Russia furs . August: See also:

• KIAKHTA

Kiakhta, Siberia . Chinese furs and ermine . December: See also:

• ISHIM

Ishim, Siberia .

Chiefly squirrels . Of course there are many transactions, generally in the cheaper and coarser kinds of furs, used only in central Europe, Russia and Asia which in no way See also:

• INTEREST

interest the London See also:

• MARKET (Lat. mercatus, trade or place of trade)

market, and there are many See also:

• DIRECT

direct consignments of skins from collectors in America and Russia to London, New York and Leipzig merchants . But the bulk of the See also:

• FINE

fine furs of the world is sold at the large public trade auction sales in London . The chief exceptions are the Persian and Astrachan lambs, which are bought at the Russian fairs, and are dressed and dyed in Leipzig, and the ermine and Russian squirrels, which are dressed and manufactured into linings either in Russia or Germany before offered for See also:

• SALE
• SALE, GEORGE (c. 1697-1736)
• SALE, SIR ROBERT HENRY (1782—1845)

sale to the wholesale merchants or manufacturers . The annual collection of fur skins varies considerably in quantity according to the demand and to the good or bad climatic conditions of the season; and it is impossible to give a See also:

• COMPLETE

complete See also:

• RECORD (Lat. recordari, to recall to mind, from cor, heart or mind)

record, as many skins are used in the country of their origin or exported direct to merchants . But a fairly exact statement of the numbers sold in the See also:

• GREAT

great public trade auction sales in London during the See also:

• YEAR

year 1905–1906 is herewith set out . Year ending 31St of March 1go6 . See also:

• TOTAL

Total Number of Skins . See also:

• BADGER

Badger . . 28,634 Badger, See also:

• JAPANESE

Japanese . 6,026 See also:

• BEAR
• BEAR, BLACK
• BEAR, BROWN
• BEAR, GRIZZLY
• BEAR, ISABELLINE
• BEAR, WHITE

Bear 18,576 See also:

• BEAVER
• BEAVER (from Fr. baviere, a child's bib, from bane, saliva)

Beaver 80,514 See also:

• CAT
• CAT, CIVET
• CAT, HOUSE

Cat, Civet 157,915 Cat, See also:

• HOUSE
• HOUSE (O. Eng. hiss, a word common to Teutonic languages, cf. Dut. huis, Ger. Haus; in Gothic it is only found in gudhiss, a temple; it may be ultimately connected with the root of " hide," conceal)

House 126,703 Wild 32,253 See also:

• CHINCHILLA
• CHINCHILLA, LA PLATA
• CHINCHILLA, PERUVIAN

Chinchilla (La See also:

• PLATA, RIO DE LA, or RIVER PLATE

Plata), known also as See also:

• BASTARD (O. Fr. bastard, mod. bdtard = fits de bast, "pack-saddle child," from bast, saddle)

Bastard . 43,578 Peruvian finest 5,603 See also:

• DEER (O. E. rigor, dfor, a common Teutonic word, meaning a wild animal, cf. Ger. Tier, Du. dier, &c., probably from a root dhus-, to breathe)
• DEER, CHINESE

Deer, Chinese 124,355 Ermine .

40,641 See also:

• FISHER
• FISHER, ALVAN (1792–1863)
• FISHER, GEORGE PARK (1827-1909)
• FISHER, JOHN (c. 1469-1535)
• FISHER, JOHN ARBUTHNOT FISHER, 1ST BARON

Fisher 5,949 Fitch 77,578 Fox, See also:

• BLUE (common in different forms to most European languages)

Blue . 1,893 See also:

• CROSS

Cross 10,276 See also:

• GREY, CHARLES GREY, 2ND EARL (1764-1845)
• GREY, HENRY GREY, 3RD EARL (1802-1894)
• GREY, LADY JANE (1537-1554)
• GREY, SIR EDWARD
• GREY, SIR GEORGE (1812–1898)

Grey 59,561 Japanese 81,429 See also:

• KIT (1) (probably an adaptation of the Middle Dutch kitie, a wooden tub, usually with a lid and handles; in modern Dutch kit means a tankard)

Kit . 4,023 Red 158,961 Silver 2,510 See also:

• WHITE
• WHITE, ANDREW DICKSON (1832– )
• WHITE, GILBERT (1720–1793)
• WHITE, HENRY KIRKE (1785-1806)
• WHITE, HUGH LAWSON (1773-1840)
• WHITE, JOSEPH BLANCO (1775-1841)
• WHITE, RICHARD GRANT (1822-1885)
• WHITE, ROBERT (1645-1704)
• WHITE, SIR GEORGE STUART (1835– )
• WHITE, SIR THOMAS (1492-1567)
• WHITE, SIR WILLIAM ARTHUR (1824--1891)
• WHITE, SIR WILLIAM HENRY (1845– )
• WHITE, THOMAS (1628-1698)
• WHITE, THOMAS (c. 1550-1624)

White . 27,463 Goats, Chinese 261,190 Hares 41,256 See also:

• KANGAROO

Kangaroo 7,115 Kid, Chinese linings and skins equal to 5,080,047 See also:

• KOLINSKY

Kolinsky . . . 114,251 Lamb, Mongolian linings and skins equal to 214,072 Slink 167,372 Tibet 794,130 See also:

• LEOPARD

Leopard . 3,574 See also:

• LYNX (Lat. Lynx, Gr. airy, probably connected with X hovewv, to see)

Lynx 88,822 Marmot, linings and skins equal to 1,600,600 Marten, Baum 4,573 Japanese 16,461 See also:

• STONE
• STONE (0. Eng. shin; the word is common to Teutonic languages, cf. Ger. Stein, Du. steen, Dan. and Swed. sten; the root is also seen in Gr. aria, pebble)
• STONE, CHARLES POMEROY (1824-1887)
• STONE, EDWARD JAMES (1831-1897)
• STONE, FRANK (1800-1859)
• STONE, GEORGE (1708—1764)
• STONE, LUCY [BLACKWELL] (1818-1893)
• STONE, MARCUS (184o— )
• STONE, NICHOLAS (1586-1647)

Stone 12,939 Mink, Canadian and American 299,254 Japanese 360,373 Mouflon 23,594 Musk-See also:

• RAT (a word common to Teut. and Rom. languages; probably first adopted in Teut.; the ultimate origin is not known; Skeat suggests the root rad-, to scratch; cf. Ger. Ratte, Dan. rotte, Fr. rat, &c.)

rat or Musquash, Brown 5,126,339 Black . 41,788 See also:

• NUTRIA

Nutria „ 82,474 Opossum, American 902,0 .65 Australian 4,161,685 Otter, See also:

• RIVER

River 21,235 Sea 522 Raccoon . 310,712 Sable, Canadian and American 97,282 Japanese 556 Russian 26,399 Seals, Fur ?7,000 Hair 31,943 Skunk 1,068,408 See also:

• SQUIRREL
• SQUIRREL (Fr. ecureuil)

Squirrel 194,596 „ -Linings each averaging 126 skins . . 1,982,736 See also:

• TIGER
• TIGER (Felis tigris)

Tiger 392 See also:

• WALLABY

Wallaby 6o,956 See also:

• WOLF
• WOLF (Canis lupus)
• WOLF, FRIEDRICH AUGUST (1759-1824)
• WOLF, HUGO (1860-1903)
• WOLF, JOSEPH (1820-1899)

Wolf . 56,642 Wolverine 1,726 See also:

• WOMBAT
• WOMBAT, KOALA

Wombat . 193,625 A brief account of the different qualities of the pelts, with some general remarks as to their customary uses, follows .

The prices quoted are subject to See also:

• CONSTANT, BENJAMIN (1845-1902)

constant fluctuation and represent purely trade prices for bulk, and it should be explained that the very great See also:

• VARIATIONS
• VARIATIONS, CALCULUS
• VARIATIONS, CALCULUS OF

variations are due to different sizes, qualities and See also:

• COLOURS, MILITARY

colours, and moreover are only first cost, before skins are dressed and prepared . These preparations are in some cases expensive, and there is generally a considerable percentage of See also:

• WASTE (O. Fr. wast, guast, gast, gaste; Lat. vastus, vast, desolate)

waste . The prices cannot be taken as a See also:

• GUIDE (in Mid. Eng. gyde, from the Fr. guide; the earlier French form was guie, English " guy," the d was due to the Italian form guida; the ultimate origin is probably Teutonic, the word being connected with the base seen in O. Eng. witan, to know)

guide to the wholesale price of a single and finished skin, but simply as relative value . The fullest and darkest skins of each kind are the most valuable, and, in cases of bluish grey or white, the See also:

• FULLER, ANDREW (1954-1815)
• FULLER, GEORGE (1822—1884)
• FULLER, M
• FULLER, MARGARET, MARCHIONESS
• FULLER, MELVILLE WESTON (1833-1910)
• FULLER, THOMAS (16o8-1661)
• FULLER, WILLIAM (1670--c. 1717)

fuller, clearer and brighter are the more expensive . A few albinos are found in every See also:

• SPECIES

species, but whatever their value to a museum, they are of little commercial importance . Some See also:

• ODD (in middle English odde, from old Norwegian oddi, an angle of a triangle; the old Norwegian oddamann is used of the third man who gives a casting vote in a dispute)

odd lots of skins arrive designated simply as " sundries,” so no See also:

• CLASSIFICATION (Lat. classis, a class, probably from the root cal-, cla-, as in Gr. icaMce, clamor)

classification is possible, and this will account for the See also:

• ABSENCE (Lat. absentia)

absence of a few names of skins of which the imports are insignificant in quantity, or are received direct by the wholesale merchants . Names, Qualities and Uses of Pelts.1 ASTRACHAN.—See Lambs, below .