The Canadian Otter, 229 



"There are eleven species enumerated by authors, inhabiting the 

 following countries ;— Europe, 1 ; Island of Trinidad, 1 ; Guyana, 1 ; Brazil, 

 1 ; Kamschatka, 1 ; Java, 1 ; Malay, 1 ; Pondicherry, 1 ; The Cape of 

 Good Hope, 1 ; and North America, 2. ^ 



LuTRA Canadensis (Sabine), The Canada Ottee. 



Specific Characters. — Dark glossy brown ; chin and throat, dusky 

 white ; larger than the Evropean Otter. 



The Canadian Otter inhabits the whole of North America, and it is 

 supposed a portion of South America also. Specimens procured from the 

 Southern countries of the continent, such as Texas and Carolina, can scarcely 

 be distinguished from those brought from the extreme North, the fur being 

 of nearly the same quality, and the colour being only a little lighter in those 

 from the warm climates. Throughout the whole of this vast territory, the 

 animal is found in the rivers and lakes of every district, except indeed where 

 e:x;tirpated by man in the most densely populated tracts of country. 



The head of the Otter is large, and nearly of a globular form ; the nose 

 blunt and naked ; the lips thick ; ears rounded, slightly ovate, and closer 

 together than in the Otter of Europe, [Lutra vulgaris,) and clothed densely 

 with short hair on both surfaces. The body is long and cylindrical ; the 

 neck long ; the legs short and stout ; moustaches very rigid, like bristles ; 

 soles of the feet thinly cbthed with hair ; between the toes, tubercles at the 

 roots of the claws, naked ; feet webbed to the nails ; tail stout, gi-adually 

 tapering toward the extremity, depressed at the base, continuing flattened 

 through half its length ; at the base there are two oval glands. The longer 

 hairs covering the fur are glossy and rigid ; fur soft, dense, and nearly as fine 

 as that of the Beaver, continuing through the whole extent of the body, even 

 to the extremity of the tail, but shorter on the forehead and extremities. 

 The general colour of the animal is a rich chesnut brown, a shade lighter on 

 the whole of the under surface. 



ITiis animal brings forth one litter annually, about the middle of April , 

 in the northern countries, and about a month earlier in the southern. Its 

 nest is constructed either in a hole in a bank near the water or in the hollow 

 of a large tree. These nests are large — composed of small sticks, leaves, and 

 soft grass, and are in all cases above the reach of high water, and made 

 comfortable by being well protected and sheltered from the rains. 



The Otter is a famous swimmer and diver, and can easily capture almost 

 any kind of fish. Audubon states that in one locality, near Charleston, in 

 the Southern States, where they were very nemerous about thirty years since, 

 he went one morning to observe them, and in the space of two hours counted 

 forty-six. They came down with the receding tide in groups, or families of 

 five or six together, and ascended the different creeks in the salt marshes and 

 engaged in capturing mullets. In most cases they came to the bank with a 

 fish in their mouth, despatching it in a minute, and then again hastened in 

 after more prey. As the tide rose, they returned up the river again to their 

 more secure retreats. 



^ Audubon & BachmaOj vol. 2, pas;e 1. 



