THE SLAUGHTER OF SABLES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 223, 13 June 1908, Page 11

THE SLAUGHTER OF SABLES.

_ Sablo is tbomost likod and at the same time the costliest of all furs. News comes tj hand that the' supply is not now at all equal to the demand, as tho methods of the hunters are unscientific, not to say inhuman. Instead of waiting till the animals are well-grown, indiscriminate slaughter goes on; the hunters and trappers of Siberia aro neglecting the obvious precautions for preserving -the breeding stock, slaughtering females', and young animals as well a-s" those that havo attained maturity, and would yield good pelts ,and foolishly extending the'

season from tho winter, when the fur is at its best, lato into spring. This sort of, thing must inevitably bring its own punishment. Indiscriminate capture must certainly bring down the number of sables in the area where it is practised. Sables vary much in colour, frgm a light straw colour to dark'brown. The light colour is not so highly thought of as the dark. All of this fur comes from Russia, but all the sables (the sablo is a littlo animal, smaller than .1 rabbit) aro not trapped in Siberia, although tho best skins oomo from that country. Manchuria supplies many of tho light skins,, as well as somo of darkor fur, and tho American sable is now captured for its fur. It is found in Alaska.