28 Mr. B. H. Hodgson on Four new Species of Otter, 



— which may be slain and their osteological as well as other charac_ 

 ters thus accurately examined — the discrimination of specific differ- 

 ences is a work of extreme labour and delay. Many years ago I 

 announced to Mr. Bennett, the late Secretary of the London Zoolo- 

 gical Society, the fact that there are several species of Lutra in 

 Nepal, and before he died he was nearly convinced of the correct- 

 ness of the statement, though I could not then, nor can now, give a 

 full exposition of even those with which I am best acquainted. 



Waiting, however, for the perfect knowledge when the materials 

 of it are not under command, is, I find, like waiting on the river's 

 side for a dry passage after the waters have flowed past ; and 1 shall 

 therefore offer no apology for briefly characterizing those four of the 

 seven Nepalese species of Otter of which I have considerable cer- 

 tainty, leaving the remaining three to some future occasion. 



Genus LUIRA. 

 \st Species — Tarayensis nobis. 

 Size, medial. Structure, typical. Scull and head much depressed. 

 Lower incisors ranged nearly in line. Tail equal to two-thirds the 

 length of the animal, and much depressed. Form robust. Nails 

 compressed, exserted from the finger ends, and acute. Fur short 

 and smooth. Colour — above, clear umber; below, and the hands 

 and feet, pure yellowish white; the yellow tint deepest on the limbs; 

 the pale colour on the head and neck extending upwards to the 

 line of the ears — ^less so on the body ; and the distinction of dark 

 and pale hues very decidedly marked. Tail above and below, dark. 



2wc? Species — Monticolus nobis. 

 Sizcy large. Structure, upon the whole similar to the above. Tail 

 equal to more than two-thirds of the animal, and less depressed. 

 Scull and head less depressed. Intermediate incisors of lower jaw 

 ranged entirely within or behind the line of the rest. Colour — -above, 

 deeper than the above, or bistre brown ; below, sordid hoary, vaguely 

 defined, except on the edge of the lips and chin ; limbs nearly as 

 dark as the body. Fur longer and rough, or porrect from the skin 

 in a considerable degree. 



Zrd Species — Indigitatus nobis. 



General form and proportions of Leptonyx, to which it is affined. 



Habit of body more vermiform than in the above. Tail but half the 



length of the animal. Toes very short, and more than half buried 



in the palmary mass. Nails short and worn., but not depressed nor 



