§28 Tlie Canadian Otter, 



voyage round the northern extremity of America, after cooking our supper 

 on a sandy beach, we had retired to repose in the boats, anchored near the 

 shore, when two Sooty Foxes came to the spot where the fire had been made, 

 and carrying off all the scraps of meat that were left there, buried them in 

 the sand above high water mark. We observed that they hid every piece 

 in a separate place, and that they can-ied the largest pieces farthest off." 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



" Arctic Foxes have been seen as far north on the American continent as 

 man has ever proceeded. They are numerous on the shores of Hudson's Bay, 

 north of Churchill, and exist also in Bhering's straits ; towards the centre of 

 the continent in latitude 65 ® , they are seen only in the winter, and then not 

 in numbers. They are very scarce in latitude 61 ° , and at Carlton House 

 in latitude 53 ° , only two were seen in forty years. On the coast of Hudson's 



Bay, however, according to Hearne, they arrive at Churchill in latitude 

 59 ° , about the middle of October, and afterwards receive reinforcements 

 from the northward. On the eastern coast of America they are found at 

 Labrador, where they have been seen occasionally in considerable numbers i 

 a few have been also observed in the northern parts of Newfoundland, about 

 latitude 52°. 



" On the eastern continent they are found in Siberia, and in all the 

 Arctic regions." 



ARTICLE XXXYL— On the Canadian Otter, {Lutra Canadensis.) 



Genus Lutra, (Ray.) 

 Dental Formula. — Incisive, f ; Canine, \-} ; Molar, |-|. — 36. 



Generic Characters. — " The second inferior incisors on each side a 

 little receding in most of the species ; the canine much dilated, hooked ; first 

 superior molar, small, blunt, and sometimes deciduous ; the second, cutting.; 

 the third of similar form, but larger ; the fourth with two external points, 

 but furnished with a strong spur on the inner side ; the fifth has externally 

 three small points, with a broad spur internally. The inferior molars in this 

 genus vary from five to six, the first being wanting in some of the species. 



" Head, large and flattish, terminating in a blunt muzzle ; ears, short 

 juid round ; tongue, slightly papilous ; body, long and slender ; legs, short ; 

 toes, five on each foot. In some of the species the fifth toe on the hind foot 

 is rudimental ; toes webbed, armed with short claws, which are not retractile ; 

 tail not so long as the body, thick and flattened horizontally. 



" Body covered externally with long rigid and glossy hair, with a softer, 

 shorter, downy fur intermixed. 



" On each side of the anus there is a small gland secreting fetid matter. 



" All the species arc good swimmers, live along the banks of the rivers 

 and ponds, and feed on fish. 



" The generic appellation is derived from Lutra, an Otter ; from the 

 Greek, Louo, to wash. 



