94 



O T T E Ro Class!. 



roLis. Weflward of Carolina *, there are fome found 

 of a white color inclining to yellow. 

 Manners. The Otter fwims and dives with great celerity, 

 and is very deftru<5tive to fifli : in rivers it is always 

 obferved to fwim againft the dream, to meet its 

 prey. In very hard weather, when its natural fort 

 of food fails, it will kill lambs, fucking pigs, and 

 poultry. It is laid that two otters will in concert 

 hunt that (Irong and adive filh the falmon. One 

 flations itfelf above, the other below the place where 

 theHrhlies,ahd continue chafing it incelTantiy till the 

 falmon quite wearied becomes their prey. To fuppofe 

 that they never prey in the fea is a miftake : for they 

 have been often fecn in it both fwimming and bring- 

 ing their booty on fhore, w^hich has been obferved 

 in the Orknies to have been cod, and congers. Its 

 fiefh is excefiively rank and fifhy. The Romijh 

 church permits the ufe of it on maigre-days. In 

 the kitchen of the Carthtifian convent near Bijon^ we 

 faw one. preparing for the dinner of the religious of 

 that rigid order, who, by their rules, are prohibit- 

 ed during their whole lives, the eating of flefh. 



It fhevvs great fagacicy in forming its habitation: 

 it burrows under ground on the banks of fome ri- 

 ver or lake-, and always makes the entrance of its 

 hole under water ; works upwards to the furface of 

 the earth, and forms before it reaches the top, fe- 

 yeral holts^ or lodges, that in cafe of high floods, 



* Lavjfons hi/i> Card, i fo. 



il- 



