illed; in 1871
there was a very large decrease, only 3,614 being killed. There were
26,960 killed in 1876; and in 1880 the number killed was 48,504, a
large increase. Sea-otter fur is about as expensive as any, and some
48,000 skins are used yearly. Over 100,000 marten or Russian sable
skins are annually used. Only about 2,000 silver foxes are caught
every year; and about 6,500 blue foxes. Other fox skins are used more
or less. About 600 tiger skins are used yearly, over 11,000 wild cat
skins, and a very large trade is being carried on in house cat skins.
About 350,000 skunk and 42,000 monkey skins are utilised annually.
The trade in ermine skins is falling off, as is also the trade in
chinchilla. About 3,000,000 South American nutrias are killed every
year, and a very large business is carried on in musk-rat skins. About
15,000 each of American bear and buffalo skins were used last year.
There are also used each year about 3,000,000 lamb, 5,000,000 rabbit,
6,000,000 squirrel, and 620,000 filch skins; also 195,000 European
hamster, and nearly 5,000,000 European and Asiatic hares.

_Tigers_, No. 201.--Since writing on the subject of the size of
tigers I have received the following extract from a letter addressed
to the editor of _The Asian_. Both the animals were measured on the
ground before being skinned, and in the presence of all whose names
are given:--

"Tiger shot on the 6th of July, 1882. Party present: C. A.
Shillingford, Esq.; J. L. Shillingford, Esq.; F. A. Shillingford,
Esq.; A. J. Shillingford, Esq. Length of head, 1 ft. 8-1/2 in.; body,
5 ft. 6-1/2 in.; tail, 3 ft. 6-1/2 in.; total length, 10 ft. 9-1/2
in. Height at shoulder, 3 ft. 7 in.

"Tiger shot on the 17th of March, 1883. Party present: The Earl of
Yarborough; A. E. Fellowes, Esq.; Col. R. C. Money, B.S.C.; Capt.
C. H. Mayne, A.D.C.; Lieut. R. Money; J. D. Shillingford, Esq. Length
of head, 1 ft. 8 in.; body, 5 ft. 7 in.; tail, 3 ft. 5-1/2 in.; total
length, 10 ft. 8-1/2 in. Height at shoulder, 3 ft. 8-1/2 in.; girth
of head round jaw, 3 ft. 1-1/2 in.; girth of body round chest, 4 ft.
7 in.

"The latter animal, though not so long as the former, was the larger
animal of the two, being more massively built, and by far the finer
specimen of a tiger. He was shot by Mr. Fellowes while out shooting
in the Maharajah of Darbhanga's hunt in the Morung Terai."

The following is an extract from a letter lately received by me from
General Sir Charles Rei