JANTY A T‘.Y 22. Ci- ....

NEWS Y

193a

a! aoaloom

' NOTES

BOIVIE ltlOlVfANA BIRDS t2)

A correspondent wishes to know what "field-marks" are: as the term occurred in the first of these articles. To fILlSWOX‘ briefly, I may say that field-marks are those points of distinction which enable -us to recognize the bird on the wing in the tree, or on the ground; that is, at liberty. To “tell" a bird at a glance, perhatizs. as it flies awiftly out of range. requires a good knowledge of field-marks.

The Cooper's llnwk 1N0. 333) is Just a larger edition of the Sharp- lbin. says Chcstci- lteetl in his Bird Guide; but, as has already been atated. the tail-tip of No, 333 is rounded, instead cf square. The ‘crown of the head is darker, and the back is rt clearer slatey-blue. This too ls known flS a "Blue Dart- er". from its habit of flying in sneaking fashion, through trees or brush, and then malzirg a furious dash on its prey, Bring a larger bird than the Sharp-shin. it is capable of trackling larger game. witch as Ritffni Grouse and well grown chickens. “Where there is danger of the Cooper's Hawk causing losses; to poultry raisers, it should be held in check."

The American Goshawk (No. 334) l the third of the “bird hawks”, and is the largest of the trio, meas- uring up to 23 inthcs in length. The name is u contraction of Goose-hank.

Ffeld- Marks: the adult Goshaw in slate-gray; and as we often ob- lerve the bird from below, we note that the under parts are gray with fine darker markings, and none of the misty-rod of the Cooper or Sharp-shin. The dark bars on the wider sides of the wings and the long, bird-hawk tall, will separate this bird from the other large hawks.

In 881 stomachs examined by John B. May, ("Hawks of North America?) 447 contained poultry or game, 49 other birds. Z33 small mammals, and the rest were envpty. ‘This bird requires controlling in the vicinity of poultry yards. My own expcrienre is that it returns again and again, if it is success- ful at first.

'f.'he Real-tailed Hawk (No. 337) I reported in P.E.I.. as well as in Montana, but I have not been able to discover whether it is common or scarce; I think probably the latter. This much-maligned bird is considered a "Hen-hawk" or a "Chicken-hawk", whereas not one

. ‘It ten of the stomachs examined

. _.. _.__,

contained poultry. Out of 31 of than) Hawks taken in the State of Washington, 83 per cent of the food proved in lax: ground squirrels. I pc. rabbits, 4 pr. mice, and 7 pa. snakes! In Montana the anal- lcr rodents carry the germs of [potted fever, tulorncmia, and the “plagiuf. These are diseases which Inay be communicated to humans.

_. and the Red-toll docs good service It keeping down these "carriers,"

‘fr: .

,- Fed-toll is a large

far offsets the very small

unt of injury to poultry rais-

gm. It is Just the sick animals.

loo. that are liable to be picked up by this hawk.

Now for the field-marks. . The hawk, com- monly srm soul-int; in the sky or

chino in some free. In flying 1t

slow, and ronrpictiottsly noisy,

[o ls m .1!v tli:.t~t)vrre.'l and shot. If. is rt liantkinnte hircl, with o rusty- . red toil. whit-h m ' may not. have u flfllkPf‘ cio~ 1nd near thC

Mp. Thr- body mo) be light. or al- most evitlrely sooty-black. The un- der stirfnce of the wings is gen- ‘orally rather llilllii. with the tips of the larger feathers dark. and a dark blotch (or "wrist mark") on the front margin below, near the bend or angle. The breast-below the throat —-' is definitely darker. This bird, like the next on our list. sometimes appears in a melanic (darker) form. and thus requires careful observation, to make sure of its identity. tThe red tuii, how- ever, is sufficient to guide, the 0b- aerver).

OLD AGE‘ PENSIONS

There was o time in Britain when pensions to individuals were only gitnitvd in rcword of emin- ,ent military service to the cotin- aftt rwards extend- uiaets and essayists)

~ but in fin. vase the rtuvnrtl was as scanty n‘. th t of the militnrists was ext nut. As the Govern-

i!

n

tie more (n-gnnized, there was oped a supernntiuntion scheme to lake (‘ate of cerium per- sons f‘llll)ll‘jt"il titnlei" the Crown. the Local Aluharilies, Police Rrces, and sour." of the Railway Companies and Savings Banks.

The great mining compatiies went part of the and pension- ed their muunm l and office

staffs, but the . iual workers in this and other occupations, when incaptutlnierl hv old age. lipid no nuch resource. A.- time went on, and “the Labor Party nsstuncd more im- portance. it was felt that this was an injustice; that the men who by strength and dexterity had helped to build up the prosperity of the country. were as much entitled to the care of the State as were those already enjoying it. A series of acts. known os the “Old Age Pen- sions Acts” was therefore passed ‘by the British Parliament, between the yea-re i908 and 1924, to permit workers. and their wives and chil- dren, under certain conditions. in ._ receive weekly petisions from the lState. Let us see what these con- _‘- ditions were. In order to be ccrtnin of this part of my Notes. I wrote to a friend in England for particulars. ‘and he sent me the circular issued by the Government as to the qualifications for n pension. First. We note ‘that any person who has lived in the Utiitcd Kingdom for at least l2 years. been a. British subject for ll) years. and reached the one of '70 years. is entitled to a pension. The weekly rate of pen- flon, if any, depends tipon the amount of the claimant‘: yearly

means, as given in the form of a table. for the information of the Pension Officer. or the local Pen- sion Committee, to whom the claim must be submitted. Fbr instance. if the claimant has an income (from lands. houses, or inveq. meats) from nothing to about $120 per annurn. he gets the full pension of l0 shillings ($2.50) per week. If his income is already about $184 annually‘ he will get 6 shillings ($1.50) per week; but if his annual income is $350 or over, he gets nothing! If the local Pension Committee's decision is disputed by the claimant or the Pension Of- ficer, it is referred to the Insur- ance Department of the Ministry of Health, whose judgment is final.

I am told that there is a "Pen- si0n's Act" in force in Canada, in which the claimant's land, houses or investments, are taken over by the Government on the claimant's decease: such a transaction is more like a. secured loan. and is not entitled to be called a. pension.

Secondly. there is a class of workers who are classed as “insur- ed persons." and these are entitled to claim on reaching the age of 65. Such a person has protected himself against sickness and unem- ployment, during his working years, by paying a. small premium weekly. (If my memory serves, the employer is bound to contri- bute a similar amount, and the State, of its bounty. does the same: so that there are three parties to the insurance). There seems to be no “means test" (as to houses. lands, etc.) for these insured per- sons. Women are entitled to n pension in right of a husband's in- nuance.

By virtue of the “Blind Persons Act, 1920," such persona begin to receive a. pension on attaining the age of 50 instead of 70.

In concluding his letter my friend gives a concrete example: a man of his acquaintance has. with the exception of a few months work now and again. been unem- ploycd since 1926. (He is a min- er). But, under the Act, he and his wife and children get 26 shil-

,sinoe Janruary, 1936. ‘Twenty-three

TITECTIA

..._.=vwruinauaa~w--_,i_.._m. ,

I CONSER v.4 TION

A WEEKLY COLUMN OI‘ PRACTICAL OPINIONS. ON

VITAL IBSUIB AITICTING

TIII ‘I'll USIB AND ABUBII OI‘

NATURAL IISOUICII I! II. LUDIDW JINIINI,

MARSIIFIHD-

WILD DOG PACK ADDS YOUNG BUCK T0 LONG LIST 0F VICTIMS

Second. Animal Slain. by Roving

Doss since the First of the Year .

g/Ciourtesy News-Post, Frederick, J

Killed by a pack of wild dogs Vleonesday afternoon, the fmzen and mutilated carcas of u. young buck deer was removed from a, field near Iiewiswwn. Friday. by Ben- jamin F. Phebus», district game warden. The deer is the second slain by dogs since the first of the your. and the third in the last two months.

Phebu; said several school chil- dren walking along the highway Wednesday afternoon saw the dogs chase the frightened buck from the nuountains and kill it. when it fail- ed to clear a fence. Several of the children attempted to save the dfler by stoning the dogs. By the time help arrived, the deer was dead and the dogs gone.

'I‘hc game warden was notified Friday afternoon and went to Lew- istown and found the young buck with its throat and hind quarters gushed. He buried the carcass.

Twenty-five deer have been slain by wild dogs in Frederick County

deer were killed last year. including a. mre albino nee;- Catoctin Fumace. and an eight-pound buck near Mountaindale. A doe was killed in January of this year short distance from mime the body of the buck was found Friday. To War On Dogs

Phobos said Friday that he and his deputies will immediately launch a war aga-insvt wild dogs. The law requires all dogs to be inept upon the premises of their owners from March 1st to December 1st. and be- ginning next Monday. Phebus said. he will see that the law is enforced in an attempt to check the slaugh-

lings and sixpence a week. ($344 peryear). have a chomp up-to-date bungalow and garden enough to keep them. in vegetabla. “I’m not saying they will have anything to spare"—a Northumbrian eup- hemism -— "but anyone needing clothes can always get them. and children. if at all delicate. are given free medicine and help if their parents are poor."

THE CABBAGE BUTTERFLY

I have lust received a thought- ful letter from our good friend. Mr. Ludlow Jenkins, of Marsh- field. whom I am glad to welcome to our column again. as I have almost used up my allotted space I can only deal with the last part of his letter this week, and will hold over the remainder.

Says Mr. Jenkins: “It would in- terest a. great number of your readers if you would give the hls- tory of the Cabbage Butterfly, and the things people would like to know arcz- How do they winter? How long do they take b0 hatch from the e88. and how long do they remain the caterpillar stage? Does the frost affect them? Ilcw many broods of them do we usual- ly have in one year? Is dry warm weather most suitable for them? And a. little prophecy as to the situation next year might not come amim!"

The butterfly which proved such a pest in 1937. was the Pleris rapae of Linnaeus. the “Small White Butterfly" of British authorities. The male has one black spot on the upper surface of the forewings. where the female has two: other- wise the spots are similar. In late spring or summer. the eggs are laid on crueifers (and mlgnonette) and in. about a fortnight the larvae (caterpillars) emerge. They feed for a month or more, then pupate; that ls, they assume a quiescent stage within a hard “shell". which ultimately bursts, freeing the per- fect insect (the butterfly image) and beginning the life-cycle again. In England and in the USA. there are two broods in the year; in colder countries. but one. l imagine our season is too short to sustain two broods.

When the caterpillar feels im- pelled to pupate. it seeks some place where it will be safe from two of its enemies—-birds and ruin. Frost it does not mind. Was it not Sir John Franklin who brought home caterpillars or pupae from the Arctic which chinked when dropped into gins. and which af- terwards hatched out? The larvae then fixes itself under some over- hanging ledge of wood, splits down the back and exposes the hard, greenish. slug-like pupa. Last. year (1937) in the late full I turned up a piece of board lying near a fence, and found a Pieris pupa and several other insects which had expected to winter there un- disturbed.

Dry warm weather is most suit- able for the propagation of these insects and perhaps we may have had two broods last year when conditions were so favorable. f shall be surprised if we are trou- bled so much next year, because (l) it is seldom we have two years alike; (2) when an insect in- creases unduly. its predators in- crease too. and check it; and (3) overcrowding always brings fatal epidemics. Do you remember how alarming the gladiolus thrlpa was? There was scarcely any control that year because none had been worked out; nevertheless the thripa

faded from the scene. Bo my BUP§ is that Pieris will not be so much in evidence in 1938. But if it is. the remedy is to sprlll Wm‘ 50"“? insecticidm and poison the cater- pillars.

To mum your secret: lamb‘. 100k

‘lur feature. we will with the con-

ter 0d’ game. The law provides a fine of 3.5.00 and costs for all dog owners convicted of permitting their animals to run at large frozm Mumh to September. Phobos said the law applies to all dogsuwlhether licensed or not. It is suggested that dog owners keep their animals tied. The wild dog problem Me been one of concern to local sportsmen for some time. The Fwderick Chap. fer. Izaak Walton League, attemp- ted to rid the country of the a-‘nl- rnaJs several months ago, but found there was no law permitting the killing of wild dogs. Phobos believes the only method to combat the wild dcg i5 through the owner and. ha and his deputie: expect to launch their campaign next week.

A REVIEW

Sir,-A year has passed since this page was started .nncl although it was not the intention of the writer to continue the column indcflmltely we have received so much encour- agement and so many requests from different sources, asking that if possible it be continued as a regu-

sent of the “Editor” who has alwnyi been most helpful and obliging, cm- denvour to do so.

We find it read by a. lot of people who fully endorse its sentiments and by a lot more who do not always do so. but whom we hope are gradu- ally beginning to think for them- selves along "Conservation" lines. They say we are away ahead 0! our time, but we feel it does not take much of a prophet to see far enough into the future the time when "killing for sport" be counted a barbarous custom.

Some of our sums have been to place before our readers, the great value of our "Birds of Prey" espec- iailv our Hawks and Owls. The findings are the result of years of careful study and examinations of stomachs by the foremost authori- ties on the continent.

We have also shown the great evils of the bounty system. in an endeavour to have the present bounty on owls removed. From the stand mint of the farmer, this is certainly a great discretiit on our Denartrnent of Agriculture. and we look forward to having our Mnls- ier lonk into the matter and have it corrected. In this connection we micht say. that this bounty was on‘_v nut on to protect Hungarian

Partridge. "For What?" Awhorhle" "fate. in answer to the question. Is ordinary predator

control of any value? "Yeaddes" answer after studying the Hungar- ian Partridge question in the Great Lakes Distnct. iras "No". "Nortes" answer at the conclusion of his studies on them in Germany. was "No" and feonolds answer concern- ing wild life in general was, "No." Surely scientists cannot all be wrong and all arrive at the same Coheltlslnn.

Other aims were to try and save other species of our fast dissap- pearing wild life and to endeavour to make ohms to have it; ‘n greater abundance. Also to encourage the planting of frees and the better care and enlarging of our present forest areas in an endeavour to encourage more rnin fall. as well as to keep up and britzhten the present water level. Also to encourage the better care of our wild flowers so we may have, ' “Wi'd flowers in the valley for

other hands than mine."

1’ have no selfish interests in this mailer. Just a sincere desire tn Make not only this Province but Cannon as a whole an well as the meat country to the South of us. n better nloce to live and enfidy life mi»! 'n the words of Kim! femuel the nronlteev his ‘Moiher taucht him to Orv-n my mouth for the dumb ‘n the muse of all such as im- nmvunted to destruction.

I wish to aeknowfledr» belo and matnrlnl from friends known and ‘mt-noun. A'n'\'""t whom l’ wet-id

which appear about the middle of

1n"- m mention m» following: Th»

than w and tluvwaway the R7-

Audubon Snell)!- NIV Yolk! ‘I'M.

Hawk and Owl Department. Bird lore. Per Richard H. Bough; Nature Magazine; Maryland Conservation- ist, Quebec Association for Fish and Game. Parks Branch, Ottawa, Em- ergency Conservation Committet, per Rosallne Edge, Mr. George 15. Fbster, Brookline. Mass, Permanent Wild Life Protection Fund, Stam- ford. Conn., Irving Brant, New York, Secty. F. K. Wilson, “Ducks Unlimited", Winnipeg Loan Royal Bank. Forestry branch, Victoria, , B. C. Fred Dougall, Editor Mon- treal Witness. The American Hum- ane Society. Lorne Gibson Dairy 00m. for Manitoba. Albert E. Mor- rson. Charlottetown. Mrs. Dr. J. S, Jenkins. Upton Farm. J. Walter Jones. M. L. A, Bunbury Farm. Superintendent Bird of Prey Sanc- tuary, Kingston. Ont. Dr. Charlotte Munn. New York as well as others, especially to William L. Hornaday. j probably the best known conserva- tionist in America whose paper, The Plain Truth about game conserva- tion. probably did more to awaken the conscience of authorites than any other single agency. His per- sonal. pathetic letter. written on his death bed. asking that every an- deavour be made to place before the public, especially the children. the need for more protection for some species of our fast disappear- ing wild life. and the precarious position they were in, showed his intense interest in them.

His recommendation on starting his Magazine at first were not only not acted upon, but laughed at. by sportsmen. but he lived to see the 111W when necessity demanded that every one of them be adopted.

I am Sir. etc, LUDLOW JENKINS.

Entymology rm: cuufr some

Currant; canes that in the spring. put out only silky. yel- lowish leaves are likely to harbor and elongate, cylindrical bodied calm-pillars. with whitish bodies and brownish head and legs known as the currarvt borer. If such a. cane is split this “woi-m" may be found at the centre boring in the pith. where it makes a long block tunnel. The worm de- velops from giobular eggs laid singly on the bark in the early summer by a handsome “clear- wing" moth. The wings of this moth are transparent,» with a golden-purple band and a bar of the same color across the fore wings. The caterpillars that hatch from these eggs feed throughout the summer months, becoming fully grown by fall, passing the winter at the bottom of their burrow. The following spring they bore towards the surface until only a layer of bark inter- venes between them and the out-

FAGE ELEVEN

N fir! maintain ,

' ' _ 4 TlMELY NOTES ON TOPlC8 .

CONNECTED WITH '

Silver Fox Farming

Purina Fox-Fax. a. publication coholics would suffer less after ef»

of the Purina. Mills. Woodstock, Ontario. has a. picture of Ira Rodd, North Milton, P.E.I., and his daughter Doris. holding a female pup from one of the litters born on his ranch last year. It is a beautiful animal, and Miss Rodd adds to the attractiveness of the photo. Another photo shows Mr Rodd holding the mother of the pup referred to. Mr. Rodd kept eight females last year and from the eight raised 42 pups.

Among other photos in the issue is five of the winners from the Brent I-lowatt ranch. Charlotte- town. whose l9 foxes took l8 prizes at the 1937 Provincial Sh0w.Char- lottetown. 'I'he_ five pictured were all first prize winners. Mr. How- att holds the champion female and reserve champion of the show.

Still other prize winners at. the Provincial Show whose cuts 1p- pear with foxes are Ray Oarr, Slfiflhf-lpe, P. E. L. with first prize dark medium adult male; Sam Johnstone. Fortune Bridge, P. E 1., and his brother, holding two of their flrstvprize winners; Muttart Bros. holding two of their cham- pion foxes fmm the H. G. Muttart ranch, Summerside, and Ira. Carr and J. S. Allen, the former hold‘- ing the first prize dark medium pup and the latter Mr. Carr's champion female pup. All theeil- lustrations are very clear and at- tractive and reflect great credit on the Purina Company, whose rep- resentative for the Province is H, J. Kennedy.

Vitamin B. which is an ingred- ient we use in the diet for our foxes mostly in the form of yeast, has been broken up by scientists into six distinct factors, each inw- ing a different effect on the body The B1 factor is a cure for poly- neuritis—nerve inflammation. This ailment may cause weird visions and staggering and is one result of chronic alcoholism. Dr. Norman Jolltfle of Belleview HospitaLNew York, which handles thousands of chronic inebriates annually, offers the suggestion that distillers place u small quantity, equivalent to about 150th of a. grain in each pint of liquor which they put up £21113- uulwnsiliaLqoefimed =1-

often attracts attention in late June or early July by ringing the cane near the tip with a double row of punctures with her jaws, causing it to wilt and bend over. Midway between the two rows. situated about one-half an inch apart, she places her white curv- ed egg within the tender tissue of the cane. The larva that hatches from this egg in a few days then bores down the cane for a ferw ‘inches and passes the winter there, continuing next season to the base of the cane, which, by this time, is

side. They then line the end of the cavity with silk and change to pupae. When about ready for the moth to emerge the pupa puches through the thin layer of i bark and. protrudes from the,- cavity so that when the moth flies away the empty case is left projecting from the burrow.

Before the emergence of the. moths in the spring all infested canes should be promptly cut out and destroyed.

_ THE CURRANT APHID

The leaves of the red currents and, to a lesser extent, black cur- rents and gooseberries are often noticed in late spring to be badly curled and twisted, with bladder- like or pocket-like recesses in the leavm containing large numbers of yellowish green aphids. The foliage of ' terminal growth is most seriously affected. and often be- comes mottled with brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. The final result in many cases is a primature drop of such affected leaves, causing a drain on the vitality of the plant and conse- quent reduced yields.

The life-hlstory of this species is largely a repetition of others which we have mentioned some time ago. The young hatch in spring with the unfolding of the leaves from small black eggs situ- ated on the twigs. These are the winglex “stem-mothers“ which are followed by a second genera- tion, also wlngless females, which in turn produce a third genera- tion mostly of winged-females

July. These migrate to mother- wort and hedge nettle. Occasion- ally, however, it is said that a few Wingless females remain on the plant, giving rise to succes- sive generations of aphids upon the current. With the approach of cold weather the true males females are produced, the lnttcr depositing the overwlntering eggs. The pest may be controlled by the use of either nicotine sprays or dusts. Nicotine sulphate in standard strength of 1 pint to 100 gals. to which 5 lbs. of soap first dissolved in water is added and applied as a heavy drench at high pressure in the spring when the largest leaves are from one half to one inch in diameter, gives a large degree of control. It may be necesary to apply another ap- plication after the blossoms have fallen. Nicotine dust containinll as little as 2.5 % of nicotine sul- phate (1% nicotine) and applied ‘at the same time is also effective The careful priming of the bushes simplifies and renders more easy of application the methods sug- gested in the foregoing. RASPBERRY CANE OREII- Owing to the more or 1cm limit- ed growth of raspberries in moat parts of the Marltimea the num- ber of complaints regarding in- sects are not numerous. The cane borer appears to be the most nut- standing. Tha adult female of this 111

t

entirely destroyed. The gruo con- tinues below the ground. where it spends the second winter in its

I burrow, pupatirrg in the spring and

emerging as an adult beetle in Junc or early July.

As a preventive measure all wilt- ed tops should be pint-bed off as soon as noticed. A few inches bc- low the point of girdlimzl

THE STRAWBERRY WEEVIL

A visit to a strawberry planta- tion shortly before blossoming time or when the earliest blossoms are already out, sometimes reveals the‘ fact that some of the buds are nipped off, either entirely or else hanging by a thread. Examination shows that this is due to the work by a small dull, reddish or brown snout beetle with a dark spot on either wing and a snout about half as long as its body. Upon further observation it is seen that the fe- male beetle firsts deposits her eggs in the bud, in a. puncture made by her beak, after which she climbs down the stem and nearly severs it about a quarter of an inch below the head. so that it finally falls off. By watching the female at work we find that they bore into an unopened bud from the outside and feed upon the pollen and that they also feed upon the pollen of open blossoms and riddle the petals with small round holes. The weevils are most active in bright warm weather, while in cold, damp weather very little nipping is done

Since the eggs are laid only in unopened buds, the real damage is done by the time the plants blossom but as the berries sometimes blos- som very unevenly the injury may extend over a considerable period. Since old plantations usually blos- son first the damage is ordinarily worse on such plantations. The side of a new plantation situated next to an old one or adjacent to the plaice where an old plantation was formerly situated. is usually worst

facts. Certain skin diseases anu tip biting result from deficiency oi, Vitamin B in the fox diet.

Ollie lVfcNeill, former Prince F/J ward Islander. who has made a " great success of fox farming in Keliher. Saskatchewan. is VlSltlllP in California and more particular- ly the vicinity of Hollywood, WllEfl‘ he has interested some parties in his white-faced foxes. A ranch just outside of Los Angeles has bought two pairs for In a letter from him received u few days ago he statesz-“I am positive it does not require cold ireather to produce good fur, The underfur of the foxes I examined in British Columbia was as thick as it could gtmv, espc-ially’ on Vancouver Island where the clim- 'ate is very much the same as Prince Edward Island, perhaps not quite as severe. Fox food is about the same price."

It is unfortunate that while the lprtce of silver fox tielts has de-g clmed between 20 and 30 per cent from last years prices. the cost of fox feed is at least l0 per can‘, higher. It seems to the write;- that a very concerted effort will have to be made by the ranchers to secure a cheaper source of sup- ply. The average cost of the feed used in producing a pelt, 15 be_ tween twelve and sixteen dollars A reduction of 20 per cent in c“: of feed would therefore mean be- tween two and three dollars a pelt: not a great deal, perhaps, but sufficient to turn the scales be- Wflln Profit and 10s. Our De- partrnent of Agriculture under the energetic leadership of the Honor- able Mr. Dennis, has given us great encouragement and strong-th- ened our morale in various Ways such as the appointment of Mr. W. F. Burke and grants to fox , ShOWS. fox demonstrations. eti- Perhaps it will find some way of assisting us with our feed prob- l lems.

The offerings of silver m pelts last week and this week-Hudson: my Company and C. M. Lampson 3F CW-flggregatled over 92,000 with B2 per cent sold on the former and abm" 70 P91‘ cent on the latter sale. Of these the Norwegian skins were sold in the proportion 0f about 60 per cent to 40 per cent Canadian. The reason the Nor- Weglflll skins moved more freely was because of their acceptance of the bids which in many c3595 wgrg not sufficiently attractive to Cam adian consignors. While this col. umn has not the complete figures to make ant-finite check-up on the ‘ average price paidvper pelt, yet w, are confident it Will not be more l than $25.00 net. Such a figure. ‘"11 MW {w margin of profit for the Norwegian fox farmer and very little fcr the Canadian. As stated 18st Week. however. there is this w be thankful for. that a. flood de. mund exists even though prices are not what we would like.

1.71:. luso Frank, who has been specializing lll cross foxes produc. ed‘ from Ainiska-Si-nxidard crossings, had some real henuts on show to t a few friends some days agnpr1m' i to their being shipped to lamp- 5°"- Ruth 35 Company. New York. for their auction January 31st. One was what could be described as a silver-cross, that is, its back markings were very much like a 1 bright clear silver but it had a distinct wide black cross on‘ the neck and some reddish brown fur. "n! around the ears and neck. It W“ a large pelt with an eXtfQ 800d brush and white tip. Var- ious estimates were made as m Prlw- some Bfllng as high as $15.00. Each pelt had some particular characteristic of a cross, dltrereng from the others, and as the Doctor explained. they were "samples" from which he hoped to obtain information that would guide mm for future matings.

They were raised in Zfvlmd. a large enclosed space Wml llieniy of spruce trees that give shade in summer and shelter" in the fall from cold and rain Unlike silvers there is no off-color problem and for that reason quite a number of breeders have edged a. bit into the cross fox game. Just recently Raoul Rennontl, South- port. added a few good specimens of Alaska males to his ranch for experimental jun-poses.

the play-