72 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



ing almost exclusively on fish ; residing in holes 

 on the banks of rivers or beaches. 



Species. 



Lutra brasiliensis, Rai. Geoff. Desm. (Encycl. 

 pi. suppl. 5, fig. 3.) Mustela lutris brasiliensis^ 

 Linn. Gmel. Saricovienne de la Guyane, Buffon, 

 suppl. torn. 6. p. 287. Lutra canadensis^ Sabine. 



Loutre d''Jlmerique^ Cuv. regn. anim. torn. 1. p. 

 151, et torn. 4, fig. 3, American otter ^ Philadel- 

 phia Museum, No. 701, from Delaware state. 



Char. Essent. General colour reddish-brown, 

 with the throat white or yellowish. 



Dimensions. Total length, three feet two inches ; 

 length of the head, six inches ; of the tail, one foot 

 five inches ; medium height of the body, ten inches. 



Description. Head globular; neck very long; 

 hair rather short, of a reddish-brown, 1} ing flat to 

 the body ; more sparse upon the tail ; tail brown- 

 ish, darkest towards the end ; body beneath of the 

 same colour with the back ; lower jaw and throat 

 of a dirty brown, slightly tinged with yellow. 



Habit. They form groupes more or less nu- 

 merous, and frequent rivers and fresh water 

 marshes ; feeding on fish. 



Inhabit la Guyane, and some parts of North 

 America. Specimen in the Philadelphia Museum. 



Species. 

 2. Lutra marina^ sea otter, Erxleb. Desm. 



