the animal but not on the time of year  10. As a result of this study, primeness
or the weather. Nestling, juvenile, has been re-defined as that condition
post-juvenile, and subadult pelages  of the pelt existing when the pelt is
at
are all developmental hair growth.  its highest quality and the fur has
  Seasonal pelage changes are re- reached its maximum length, density,
stricted to adult muskrats and the late  and finest texture when the hairs
have
transition period between adult and
immature growth phases in the spring. v
           Thefeshsrfacesf pels ae c d  pigment being produced, and as a
con-
bye anesh irr ares bothyt greowhaernd sequence, the flesh surface of the
pelt
by an irregular blotchy growth pattern  appears devoid of hair root pigmenta-
in contrast to the symmetrical patterns  tin A  eti rm ol hZacm
of the developmental pelages. Seasonal tion. A pelt is prime only when a
com-
growths can be divided into spring, bination of all these factors is present,
summer and winter pelages in the   and a pure white pelt is not in itself
adult muskrat.                      sufficient evidence of primeness.
































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