File:Fur and feather in North China (1914) (14727918546).jpg

Identifier: furfeatherinnort00sowe (find matches)
Title: Fur and feather in North China
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Sowerby, Arthur de Carle, 1885-1954
Subjects: Zoology -- China Birds -- China
Publisher: Tientsin, North China : Tientsin Press
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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. They have longer snouts and thereare distinct skull differences. A subspecies has recently been des-cribed from South Shensi under the name oi A. I. arcstes. Under our present heading I must briefly mention the names oftwo ruminants, whose skins are used as rugs. These are the goraland the antelope. The skin of the latter are even used to make clothesby the Chinese along the Mongolian border. As I am dealing withthese animals elsewhere I need not describe them here. Under our second heading, which includes those animals whoseskins are used as articles of apparel, we have to consider a numberof species belonging to widely differing genera. If these are taken in the order of their respective importance asfur producers, the weasel family must come first. Of the membersof this large family the sable (Maries zihellina) is certainly the mostvaluable. This pretty creature is closely related to the pine-marten,the only apparent difference being in its having longer and softer fur. Plate XI.
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FUR BEARING MAMMALS. 49 The colour of the sable varies from blackish-brown to chocolate andeven grey-brown. The under fur is usually grey. There is an orange-yellow patch on the throat. The sable is found in Siberia and Man-churia. The so-called Sze-chuan sable is really the pine-marten (M.martes), which is also found in Manchuria. The maximum value ofa single sable skin is £25, while that of a marten seldom reaches £5. The next species of importance is the stoat or ermine (Mustelaerminea), which certainly used to inhabit North China, and probablymay still be found in some districts. These animals are so shy, and sopurely nocturnal in their habits that they may easily be in a districtwithout its being known to the inhabitants. The ermine is really littlemore than a large weasel, and it is only valuable when in its winter coat.The summer pelt is of a rich chocolate-brown with sulphur-yellowunderparts. The hair is not long, but is beautifully soft. I have recently secured a fine speci

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