66Q NORTH AMERICAN MUSTELID^. 



ever, an iiuquestionable synonym of Uiihydm of Fleming, insti- 

 tuted in|18i'2, in tbat author's "Philosophy of Zoology", and 

 which, under its various t'oTms of Fnhydr is, Enydris^ and Enliydra, 

 has been most generally employed of late years. 



Besides the technical accounts of very numerous authors 

 who never saw the animal alive, there are many other notices 

 of more general interest, in unscientific works, giving informa- 

 tion upon its habits and manners, and various figures, more or 

 less true to life, are extant. The famous navigator Cook 

 treats of the Sea Otter, and gives a fair representation. The 

 description from Meares's Voyage, accurate, though untechnical, 

 is frequently quoted. Meuzies's article in the Philosophical 

 Transactions for 179G may be noted in this connection. Pen- 

 nant, as usual, has an extended biographical notice. Probably 

 the first anatomical article of any note is Martins's, upon the 

 osteology of the species ; that of M. Gervais is specially im- 

 portant. In late times, detached notices of its habits have 

 multiplied, from the pens of a number of naturalists who have 

 visited the northwest coast, and largely contributed to a com- 

 plete history. Capt. Scammon's several articles above quoted, 

 all to much the same effect, are specially noteworthy, though 

 certain points may require to be scrutinized and checked by the 

 observations of others. The author last mentioned also repro- 

 duces the figure by "Wolf, which accompanied Dr. J. E. Gray's 

 paper on the MusteUdcv, in Zoological Society's Proceedings for 

 1865 ; this is probably the most life-like representation of the 

 species extant. J. W. Audubon's plate, published in the work 

 of his father and Dr. Bachman, is a fini shed drawing of unmistak- 

 able character, probably the best one generally accessible to 

 American students. Neither Sir John Eichardson nor Audu- 

 bon had met with the species alive, and their biographies, the 

 principal ones which until lately had appeared in works upon 

 American Mammals, are necessarily at second hand. The only 

 American biographies, indeed, at all approaching completeness 

 are those of Mr. Elliott and Capt. Scammon, already cited. 



"TAe Sea- Otter and its Hunting,^''* 



[By H. W. Elliott.] 



" The sea-otter, like the fur-seal, is another illustration of au 

 animal long known and highly prized in the commercial world, 



* Having do original information to offer respecting the commercial his- 

 tory, the chase, or the habits of the Sea Otter, I extract an account which 

 there is reason to believe to be the most complete, accurate, and reliable at 



