(I.) Market hides, from the cattle slaughtered for food in the United Kingdom. These are received by the tanner, fresh, or slightly salted, and are either bought directly from the butcher, or, now more commonly, through the auction markets established in all large towns. The latter system, while it perhaps slightly enhances the price of the hides to the tanner, ensures him a better classification according to weight, and, in some cases, as notably in that of Glasgow, a better flaying, through an organised system of inspection and sorting. The Scotch hides, being mostly from Highland cattle, are many of them small and very plump, for, as a rule, the hides are thickest on those animals which are exposed to cold and the hardships of out-door life. On the other hand, the hides of highly-bred cattle are apt to be thin and spreading; and, if they have been kept much indoors, and negligently managed, the grain of the hide is injured by the dung which adheres to it. The Irish hides are usually somewhat roughly flayed. (II.) South American hides are from the River Plate, Uruguay, and Rio Grande. Those from the River Plate are considered the best, as being stoutest and finest in texture. They are usually cured by salting, and are known as "saladeros," "estancias," and "mataderos," according to the slaughter and cure. The saladeros are the best, and are from cattle killed at large slaughtering establishments on the coast. The estancias are from cattle killed in the interior, and are worse in flaying than the saladeros, but free from the objectionable dark cure of the mataderos, which are killed by the city butchers. Many hides are brought from Brazil, and are generally both salted and sun-dried, or simply stretched out and dried. Hides are also imported from Valparaiso, both dry and wet-salted. Chinese and West Indian hides are mostly dried. Chinese hides are occasionally infected with _Bacillus anthracis_, which produces the dangerous "malignant-pustule," or "wool-sorters' disease." Hence any pimple appearing after working with such hides should have immediate medical attention. French market hides have been of recent years largely imported; they are mostly well flayed, and some of them very heavy, but are sold at original butchers' weight, and, in the experience of some tanners, the result in leather is 5-6 per cent. less than from English market hides. They usually lose about 25 per cent. in skulling and salting. Lisbon hides are often well flayed, but are frequently branded, and the grain is injured by insects. They yield considerably more leather than market hides in proportion to weight. Hambro' hides are salted, but mostly wet and ill-flayed. Very heavy hides are produced in the Rhine district and in Switzerland. For further information about hides, see the Commercial Section.