Information respecting Zoological Travellers, 283 



appearance, until their whole number amounted to about twelve. 

 They were approaching our canoes, now raising themselves partly 

 out of the water, accompanying this motion with a loud snore or an 

 angry growl, or diving rapidly under water, and reappearing a few 

 moments after some distance behind our canoes. Our Indians com- 

 menced a shout, striking repeatedly with the hand against their throat, 

 by which a sound not unlike to the growl of the Otter was produced. 

 This attracted their curiosity ; and ranging themselves in a line, they 

 came nearer, and were within the reach of the gun, when the very 

 act of raising it induced them to dive, with the exception of the 

 furthermost, which, more courageous than the others, continued to 

 advance until it received the discharge. It sunk immediately ; but 

 although the water was coloured with blood and proved that it had 

 been wounded, we did not succeed in securing it. 



We met them afterwards frequently, but always in small societies ; 

 and the first token that they were near us and that we had been re- 

 connoitred by them, was that peculiar snore which may be heard at 

 some distance. I have known them to come so near our canoes that 

 the Indians attempted to strike them with the paddles. This was, 

 as it might have been expected, a vain attempt, as they dive with 

 the greatest rapidity, and are able to remain under the water for a 

 considerable period before they rise to take breath. We frequently 

 surprised them while occupied in feeding upon the fish which they 

 had caught : their retreat was then most rapid, but always in single 

 file and directed towards the river, into which they glide dexterously, 

 and where they dive under instantly for greater security. We have 

 seen them ascend the banks with equal dexterity. They have their 

 certain haunts, where, when they have been successful, they devour 

 their prey, leaving the heads, tails, and fragments of fish, which in- 

 fect the environs with an insupportable smell. The Otters of Guiana 

 choose for their retreat holes near the banks of the river, but they are 

 known sometimes to take refuge in hollow trees. Their haunts are 

 easily known by a strong and disagreeable smell, in some instances so 

 strong that we increased by all means in our power the speed of the 

 canoes to get out of its precincts. The lesser species hunt in small 

 packs of eight or ten, and swim mostly against the stream ; of the 

 larger species I have seldom seen more than two together. As they 

 dive to a great distance and are able to remain under water for six to 

 eight minutes, what fish passes over them at that time is sure to fall a 

 prey to their voracity ; they seize them at once by the belly and drag 

 them on shore, where they are deposited while they continue their 

 pursuit. The Indians, who are aware of this, watch their success in 



