NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 30 August 1924, Page 15

NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.

WHAT RABBIT SKINS BECOME

ermine; beaver, and seal

A recent publication by the London Fur Trade Association refers to the wrong terms used for articles made from the fur of rabbits. In boyhood’s days to own a “bunny” was a delight, and as years passed by to get a gnu and go out at “sundown to shoot rabbits was still a pleasure. Now, however, the rabbit has become so common in New Zealand that it is legislated against as a pest. It really is singular to think at what cost and trouble various pests have been introduced into this country. When the first pair of rabbits was let loose in one part of New Zealand it was the occasion of a public ceremony, and the schoolboys were specially enjoined not to interfere with the new importations. Had some naughty boy with a catapult killed those rabbits it would have meant an immense saving to the farmers of tpday, always provided no more bunnies were introduced. Then stoats and weasels were introduced to kill off the rabbits. Thus another pest was let loose, which has not killed off the rabbits, but is a great curse to poultry owners. Various kinds of deer were also introduced, and now they too are being declared a pest to surrounding farmers; but the rabbit, by its rapid reproduction, easily takes first place. It was estimated recently that the loss to farmers due to the pasture destroyed by rabbits was about a million a year in New Zealand. As against this, about £50,000 worth of skins are exported. Now, as no one ever sees an article for sale marked “rabbit fur coat,” the question naturally arises as to what use is made of the skin when sent to Europe. Of course, it is known that a lot of rabbit fur is used for making men’s hats, but the publication above referred to- furnishes some interesting facts as to the various uses that the skins of ’‘bunnies” are put to. The rabbit si tins when dyed and properly treated are converted into furs bearing the following trade names: Electric beaver, chi.nchillea, eliinehilette, elect! ie nutria, boaverette, and castorette. If moles are required the rabbit skin becomes elec-trie mole and molane.

The lady # with her expensive sealskin coat may possibly really be .wearing the fur of rabbits, ’ specially treated 7 for here are a number of trade names: Seal, electric seal. Red River seal, Hudson seal, seal musquash, Roman seal. Near seal, and sealette. A writer in the Times’ Trade Supplement states the correct description of all that list is seal or heave!- dyed rabbit or coney. Then there are black fox furs, made from rabbit skins, also blue fox, and bleurette, marten sfible, French sable and also ermine are trade terms used for productions from rabbit and coney skins. The latter is manufactured from white rabbit skins, the dyeing of the tails the right colour being an easy matter for the expert in the trade.