112 



MtrSTELID^. 



Fig. 15. 



Hydrogale maadicollis. 



ttt. Tite palms and soles of the feet hairy between the jjads, the hinder pads 

 with four small circular rugosities ; the bald muzzle large, broad, and 

 high, angularly irroduced above, and continued by a narrow streak to 

 the lips beneath. 



16. LATAX. 



The muzzle bald, large, higher than broad, upper edge angular, pro- 

 duced above, the lower one arched; the feet moderately large ; toes 

 strong, hairy above, webbed ; claws large, acute ; tail conical, covered 

 with hair. Under-fur long, very dense and exceedingly soft, very 

 closely covered with longer silky hair. Skull rather broad, depressed, 

 ventricose behind; the forehead flat, rather broad; orbit defined by a 

 strong acute conical prominence on the side of the forehead behind, 

 above, but not below ; the palate rather concave ; the flesh -tooth large, 

 the inner lobe as large as the outer section of the tooth ; the upper 

 tuberctilar grinder large, massive, rather broader than long. 



Lataxina, Grat), List. Mamm. B.M. p. 70. 



Latax, Gray, Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. 118 (not Gloger) ; P. Z. S. 1865, 

 p. 1.32. 



Lutra, § c, Gray, Loudon's Mag. N. IL 18.37, i. p. 380. 



Latax canadensis. (Canadian Otter.) B.M. 



Black-brown, beneath paler ; cheeks, lips, chin, and throat pale 

 ashy-brown ; front of neck grey-brown. 



Very young black above and below, with very short close fur ; 

 lips whitish ; claws very acute, whitish. 



Var. Nearly uniform black ; under-fur very soft, brown ; the 

 upper and lower lip, chin, and sides of throat brown. 



Lutra canadensis, Sabine, Franklin's Voy. p. 653 ; Schreb. Sdugeth. 

 t 126. f. 13 ; £aird, Mamm. iV. A. p. 184, t. 28 (skull) ; Gray, 

 Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. 1837, p. 119. 

 Lutra brasiliensis, Harlan ; Godman. 



