THE MARTEN FAMILY— OTTER. 



179 



The American The American Otter (Lutra canadensis), 

 Otter, a although closely allied to the Common Ot- 



Larger Species, ter has sufficient distinctive differ , to 



* r entitle it to be classed as a separate species. 



It is considerably larger than the European animal, being 

 about four feet in length from the tip of the snout to the root or 

 the tail, and the tail is about two feet long; it has a pad or 

 protuberance on its nose. The soles are covered with hair, 

 and have callosities. The fur is of a brownish black color. 



The young are born in April in the northern, and earlier in 

 the southern part of the animal's range, and a litter is com- 

 posed of from one to three young ones, which are the object of 

 most tender care on the part of their mother. 



This Otter is found in the greater part of 

 the United States and in Canada north to 

 the Hudson Bay region. Its habits resem- 

 ble those of its European cousin, but it has 

 one peculiarity that is noticed by all naturalists who have closely 

 observed this animal, and that is its habit of sliding, or coast- 

 ing down hill, in which it displays a zeal and proficiency that a 

 school-boy might envy. In Canada, and other sections where 

 the snow is plentiful, Otters indulge freely in this sport and, as 

 described by Godman, they select in winter the highest ridge 

 of snow they can find, scramble to the top of it, " lie on their 



Range and 



Habits of 



American Otters. 



riers, but those from Canada are deemed more valuable than 

 those from the more southern sections. 



American Otters may be most successfully tamed, especially 

 when taken young. Audubon had several young Otters which 

 he says "became - " as gentle as Puppies in two or three days. 

 1 hey preferred milk and boiled cornmeal, refusing fish or meat 

 till they were several months old." They became so tame that 

 they would romp with their owner, and were very good-natured 

 animals. 



Besides the American Otter three other American species 

 have been mentioned by some authorities, including the Mexi- 

 can Otter (Lutra californica), the Peruvian Otter {Lutra felina), 

 inhabiting Central America. Peru and Chili, and the Brazilian 

 Otter (Lutra brasilienis); but as they are much alike in si • and 

 coloration, and differ little, if any, from those already described, 

 it is doubtful if these can be regarded as distinct species. Lit- 

 tle is known about them or their habits. 



The Sea Otter, The Common Otter and some of its 

 a Marine relatives temporarily visit the ocean, 

 Variety. but one S p ec j es belongs to it entirely. 

 The Sea Otter or Kalan {Enhydris lutris) is a repre- 

 sentative of a distinct species and is perhaps a tran- 



SEA OTTER, OR KALAN. This is the true marine Otter, f 



water the Kalan makes its home in the ocean, and is found on the shor 

 short tail, flipper-like hind paws, and dense fur are shown in the anim 

 icy. northern home. (Enhydris lutris.) 



•Stomachs with the fore-feet bent backwards and then, giving 

 themselves an impulse with their hind-legs, glide head-foremost 

 down the declivity, sometimes for the distance of twenty yards. 

 This sport they continue, apparently with the keenest enjoy- 

 ment, until fatigue or hunger induces them to desist." 



It is not only in winter that they enjoy this sport. " Otter 

 slides" or places on the clay banks of streams where they pur- 

 sue this diversion, are well known in the West. Audubon says: 

 "On one occasion we were resting on the bank of Canoe Creek, 

 a small stream near Henderson, which empties into the Ohio, 

 w-hen a pair of Otters made their appearance, and, not observ- 

 ing our proximity, began to enjoy their sliding pastime. They 

 glided down the soap-like, muddy surface of the slide with the 

 rapidity of an arrow from a bow, and we counted each one 

 making twenty-two slides before we disturbed them." 



H ntinn and The number of the Otters is rapidly decreas- 

 j, .<f. ing in America, because of the systematic 



Ampr'frnnOttpr* W *V in which they are P ursued b >' trappers 

 American Utters. for the ya , ue ^ thejr fur> The skin of the 



American Otter is in high reputation and general use with fur- 



■ while other species of the group make occasional excursions into salt 

 5 and islands of the North Pacific. The flattened face, rounded head, 

 in the picture, which is enjoying a meal of shell-fish on a beach in its 



sition member between the Otters and Seals. The 

 head is somewhat flattened, but rounder than that of 

 the other Otters, the neck is short and thick, the 

 body is uniformly round, the tail is short, thick and 

 compressed, of a conical shape and clothed in thick 

 hair. While the fore-paws differ from those of the 

 Common Otter only in their short toes (which are 

 connected by tough webs, naked on their under sur- 

 face and provided with small, weak claws), the hind 

 paws are really fin-like, at least as much as a Seal's 

 flippers, from which they differ in having their toes 

 increase in length from the inner to the outer side. 

 In some respects the hind paw of a Sea Otter resem- 

 bles that of the Beaver, only that it is covered with 

 short, dense, silky hair. The outer fur consists of 

 long, wiry, brownish-black hair with white tips, which 



