It lives in
hollow trees, river banks, and especially in beech forests; preys
on small birds, is very shy, sleeping during the day, and
employing the night in search of food. The fur of the older
animals is preferred to the younger. It is taken by snares and
traps, and sometimes shot with blunt arrows. Attempts have been
made to domesticate it; but it is extremely wild and has been
found untameable.
The sable can scarcely be called second to the ermine. It is a
native of Northern Europe and Siberia, and is also of the genus
mustela. In Samoieda, Yakutsk, Kamtschatka, and Russian Lapland,
it is found of the richest quality, and darkest color. In its
habits, it resembles the ermine. It preys on small squirrels and
birds, sleeps by day, and prowls for food during the night. It is
so like the marten in every particular except its size, and the
dark shade of its color, that naturalists have not decided
whether it is the richest and finest of the marten tribe, or a
variety of that species: It varies in dimensions from eighteen to
twenty inches.
The rich dark shades of the sable, and the snowy whiteness of the
ermine, the great depth, and the peculiar, almost flowing
softness of their skins and fur, have combined to gain them a
preference in all countries, and in all ages of the world. In
this age, they maintain the same relative estimate in regard to
other furs, as when they marked the rank of the proud crusader,
and were emblazoned in heraldry: but in most European nations,
they are now worn promiscuously by the opulent.
The martens from Northern Asia and the Mountains of Kamtschatka
are much superior to the American, though in every pack of
American marten skins there are a certain number which are
beautifully shaded, and of a dark brown olive color, of great
depth and richness.
Next these in value, for ornament and utility, are the sea-otter,
the mink, and the fiery fox.
The fiery fox is the bright red of Asia; is more brilliantly
colored and of finer fur than any other of the genus. It is
highly valued for the splendor of its red color and the fineness
of its fur. It is the standard of value on the northeastern coast
of Asia.
The sea-otter which was first introduced into commerce in 1725,
from the Aleutian and Kurile Islands, is an exceedingly fine,
soft, close fur, jet black in winter, with a silken gloss. The
fur of the young animal is of a beautiful brown color. It is met
with in great abundance in Behring's Island, Kamtschatka,
Aleutian and Fox Islands, and is also taken on the opposite
coasts of North America.
