| Summary: | Newsletter of the North Dakota School for the Deaf. THE NORTH DAKOTA BANNER THE BEARERS OF VALUABLE FUR The Beaver The beaver is a round-bodied, well-built animal. It has chisel-shaped front teeth, and short legs. The animal rows itself with its webbed hind feet, while its flat tail acts as a rudder. When the beaver becomes alarmed, it slaps its tail against the water with such astonishing force that the sound may be heard a fourth of a mile away, ft does this to warn other beavers of approaching clanger. Beavers are the most industrious and intelligent of all animals. They build dams across streams to back up the water because a beaver likes to have a uniform depth. Their houses are always surrounded by water. The upper story is above the water line, but entrance is usually made from under the water. The barks of young- birch, aspen, and poplar arc the preferred foods of this valuable animal. ft was mostly the eagerness for the pelts of these fur-bearing animals that made the early trapper penetrate the wild and desolate regions of North America. In those pioneer days no organization interested in furs covered so large an area as the Hudson Bay company. It established trading posts everywhere in Canada and places in our northwestern states. It sent out men to comb the wilderness for more and more of the riches it was reaping. This company is still doing business in the far North. It has trading posts far beyond the North—most point of civilization in Canada. Fur companies competed with each other for fhe fine pelfs of fhe beaver which were the unit of most all trading at that time. One skin equalled so much corn, wheat, etc. Also European manufacturers of felt hats were very eager to obtain the skins. Many a time unpleasant encounters resulted between men of rival fur companies. Indians were sometimes induced to take the war path against rival trappers. Beavers were plentiful in nearly all sections of America when colonization took place. Today they may be found throughout the greater part of Canada and Alaska, and also in a few of the northern and western states, but few in number. Most states have had closed trapping seasons on beavers for many years, and it is likely that many more years will follow before the ban is lifted. Besides possessing a valuable fur, the beaver has peculiar smelling castors near the root of the tail. These are used in making rare perfumes. The Muskrat The muskrat belongs to the same family as the beaver, only it is a very humble little animal. Its fur is not as valuable as that of the beaver, but if lias brought large amounts of money to trappers. The muskrat is a little larger than the common rat. It may best be distinguished between the so called common rat by the size of its fail, which is lorn; and somewhat oval shaped. It has a thick brown fur, small ears and short legs. It uses its alS?? front feet to feed itself the same as squirrels do. While roaming on the shore its actions are very slow, and retreats for water immediately upon becoming alarmed. There are two kinds of muskrats, tlie marsh, and the stream. The marsh rat builds his house of mud, reeds and grasses usually near the shore of* a lake or pond. The stream rat lives in a den lined with grass. If is dug into the bank of a stream above the water mark. Muskrats are found in every state and as far north as the Arctic barrens. Food plays an important part on the quality of the fur. In cold regions where the grasses and roots are scarce the fur is inferior to that in sections where there is an abundance of natural food. Along the coast marshes of Louisiana musk- rats arc numerous. Several years ago bitter quarrels between trappers broke out and the law had to step in to prevent bloodshed. From early spring to late summer wc usually sec a few muskrats of the stream variety on our pond. The Silver Fox The fox of the pure silver strain is rare. The name is more often misapplied to a dark variety. The hairs of a silver fox are black but are white shaded at the fops. This gives the pelt fhe silver appearance. Furriers have long been known to cleverly imitate the fur of tlie silver fox by dressing the fur of a silver badger. It was the vision of big money of a few far- seeing men thirty-five years ago that resulted in establishing the breeding of the silver fox as a business today. For a long while only the pelts were sold, and much gold was reaped. When the secret became known many people were anxious to enter fhe field. At first promoters did not welcome them; for fear their business would be ruined, and refused to sell breeding- stock. But afterwards they saw they could make more from live stock than from pelts. There are to be found many farms or ranches along the southern coast of Alaska. Ranches arc also to be found in our northern states. The best pelts of the pure silver fox usually sell for as high as four hundred dollars each, while it is hard to obtain a pair of good breeders for less than fifteen hundred, —L. B, THE EDWARD M. GALLAUDET FUND The Committee on Ways and Means is asking tlie state agents to turn in their collections about the fifth of February which is the anniversary of Dr. Gallaudet's birth. If you are going to send any money Lo the fund, please forward it to the undersigned before February 5. T, Sheridan, State Agent.
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