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. It is sometimes taken with nets, but
more frequently with clubs and spears. Their food is principally
lobster and other shell-fish.
In 1780 furs had become so scarce in Siberia that the supply was
insufficient for the demand in the Asiatic countries. It was at
this time that the sea-otter was introduced into the markets for
China. The skins brought such incredible prices, as to originate
immediately several American and British expeditions to the
northern islands of the Pacific, to Nootka Sound, and the
northwest coast of America; but the Russians already had
possession of the tract which they now hold, and had arranged a
trade for the sea-otter with the Koudek tribes.
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