362 



small ; ears also small, and sparingly clothed with hair ; whiskers 

 very stiff and bristly, most of them white ; a few bristles of the 

 same character on the cheeks, behind the eyes ; neck thick ; body 

 stout and depressed ; extremities small, the first joint enclosed with- 

 in the skin of the body ; feet five toed, plantigrade behind ; soles 

 bare ; claws curved and sharp ; fore claws very slightly if at all 

 webbed ; hind claws partially webbed, and the external border of 

 the tarsus fringed with a membrane ; tail stout, compressed later- 

 ally, the terminal three fourths sharp above and at the end below, 

 terminating in a point. 



Fur short, dense, and soft, near the skin and on the under parts 

 downy, like the under fur of the otter ; some coarser hair mixed 

 with the fine fur above ; fur extending about one fourth the 

 length of the tail, ending in a point above, and less extended on the 

 under part, the rest of the tail covered with very short, bristly, and 

 closely applied hairs, forming a short crest along the upper edge ; 

 the tail in the living animal very shiny, from the shortness of the 

 hair. 



Color above, dark, shining brown, lighter on the sides, pale yel- 

 lowish white below, almost pure white on the throat and chin and 

 along the edge of the upper lip. 



Length of the body from tip of the nose to base of tail, 15 inches ; 

 length of tail, 8f in. ; length from tip of nose to ears, 2^ in. ; 

 length of fore limbs to end of claws, 1^ in. ; length of hind limbs, 

 2 inches. 



I have killed three of these animals, two of which were de- 

 stroyed by fire ; all were of the same size. 



This extraordinary animal is found in the mountains of the inte- 

 rior, or in the hilly country explored by me north and south of 

 the equator. It is found along the watercourses of limpid and 

 clear streams, where fish are abundant ; it hides under rocks 

 along these streams, lying in wait for fish. It swims through the 

 water with a rapidity which astonished me ; before the fish has 

 time to move, it is caught ; on account of the rapidity of its 

 movements I have given it the specific name of velox. The animal 

 returns to land with its prey almost as rapidly as it started from 

 its place of concealment. The great motive power of the animal 

 in the water seems to be in its tail. 



