OTTER 



Sonora Otter. — Lutra cmiadensis sonora (Rhoads). 



Large in size, light in color. Upperparts brown, grizzled 

 with light- tipped hairs giving impression of pale brown; 

 underparts light grayish brown; pale yellowish or cream 

 color on sides of head and neck. Total length, 52 inches; 

 tail vertebrse, 19 inches; hind foot, 5.8 inches. Found in 

 Arizona and southern California. 



Queen Charlotte Otter; Island Otter. — Lutra periclyzomcE 

 Elliot. 



Known only from skulls; no descriptions of external char- 

 acters have been published. Probably as large or larger 

 than pacifica. Found on the Queen Charlotte Islands, 

 British Columbia. 



Newfoundland Otter. — Lutra degener Bangs. 



Size small; color dark. Upperparts seal-brown to blackish, 

 lighter on sides of head and neck. Total length, 40 inches; 

 tail vertebras, 14 inches; hind foot, 4.6 inches. Found in 

 Newfoundland. 



The Weasel family is versatile and in the Otter it has a 

 member which is the finest aquatic specialization, short of the 

 Sea Otter, among the mammals which live on the land and 

 have four limbs recognizable as legs. The Otter has made 

 the most of its dry-land equipment and the broad, webbed 

 feet give it such mastery of the streams that it catches the 

 swiftest of fish, while the dense fur and subcutaneous layer of 

 fat make it indifferent to long immersion. 



The long, lithe body, large size, webbed feet, and long, 

 muscular tail are sufficient identifying characters. 



Otters are never far distant from lakes or water-courses 

 although they are great travelers and are known to have an 

 individual range of many miles. In summer their movements 

 are governed by the abundance or scarcity of fish and under 

 favorable circumstances food is easy to get, but in winter ice 

 may close the streams and the Otter are forced to seek stretches 

 where rapids or falls provide open water. Such places may be 

 scarce and far apart. 



The Otter is a playful mammal and one of the common 

 manifestations of this playfulness is the "otter-slide" which is 

 a steep slope down which the animals coast on the breast and 

 belly, with the forelegs bent backward out of the way. These 

 slides are oftenest noted on the snow in winter, but may also 

 be made on slippery clay banks in summer. At the bottom 

 of such a slide the Otter dives into the water. The stories told 



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