CAMOUFLAGE IN FURS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14927, 3 June 1919, Page 4

CAMOUFLAGE IN FURS.

WHEN A RABBIT IS A SEAL.

According to a report cabled the other day, the sales at the International Fur Exchange at St. Louis,. U.S.A., included half a, million pounds of Australian rabbit skins, at prices ranging to 7/11 a lb.

It is well known, of course that the pick of ; the skins are made up m imitation of furs of more expensive descriptions; hence the high prices paid for I them. Some light- is thrown on this trade development by an official inquiry received from' the Economic Zoology Division of the University of Minnesota. "We have received from a New York firm," says this communication, "for demonstration purposes ,m our work here, home handsome pelts of electric seal or sealine, .with the statement that they .Were" made from Australian rabbit. We also obtained specimens of the untreated Australian rabbit hide." The University authorities express surprise that such' very fine imitation seal can be made from "the very ordinj«vy hides of Australian rabbits" submitted'to. them, and they ask 'if the. skins are any better at one season than at another. The classification of the skins in 'the "St. Louis catalogues Avould supply the answer to that question. America is providing ». big and 'expanding nfarket for Australian fur skins, but the whole value of the rabbit commercialised is but a drop m the bucket compared with the enormous loss of pastoral wealth which the pest is responsible for m Australia every year. Hence the movement afoot to have* all trade m rabbits and rabbit products prohibited.