16 MAMMALIA. FERA. Lutra. 



in Ireland, so late as 1710. King Edgar is said to have reduced their 

 numbers greatly, by commuting certain punishments for a given num- 

 ber of wolves' tongues. Succeeding princes had recourse to various 

 expedients to restrain their increase. The progress of civilisation at 

 length effected their destruction. Among our Saxon ancestors, Janu- 

 ary was called the Wolf-month^ as at that season they were particularly 

 destructive. An outlaw, was said to be wolf-shed. Independent of the 

 voice of tradition Or history, the remains of this animal in limestone 

 caves, attest its former residence in this country. 



2. Extinct HycBna. 



This species, not now known alive on the globe, and which appears to 

 have been of the size of the brown bear, nearly resembles in its osteo- 

 logy the Cape Hyaena. Plate 3d of Buckland's Rel. Dil., exhibits a com- 

 parative view of the teetli of tlie two species. The remains of this 

 animal have occurred in caves at Kirkdale and Plymouth, and in allu- 

 vial clay at Lawford, near Rugby, in Warwickshire. The learned 

 Professor, in the above work, infers, from the number of bones of other 

 animals occurring in sharp fragments, with the marks of the hyaena's 

 teeth upon them, along with the excrement of that animal, that the 

 Kirkdale Cave had long been occupied as a hyaena's den, and that 

 this species possessed the habit of carrying into caves the remains of 

 its prey. 



3. Extinct Tiger. 



Remains of this animal have occurred in the caves of Kirkdale and Ply- 

 mouth. They equal, if not exceed in size similar bones belonging to 

 the Bengal Tiger. Buck. Rel. Dil. p. 17-72. Plate ^A. f. 5, 6, ^. The 

 two last extinct species, it may be added, occur in similar circumstan- 

 ces, in many places on the Continent of Europe*. 



PALMATA. 



1. Incisors and Tusks in both Jaws. 



Gen. XIV. LUTRA. Otter.— With the three kinds of 

 grinders, and six incisors in each jaw. 



21. h. vulgaris. Common Otter. — Fur blackish-brow-n, mth 

 a white spot on each side of the nose, and another under the 

 chin. 



Lutra, Merr. Pin. p. 167 — Sibb. Scot. p. 10 — Ray, Quad. p. 187— Mus- 



tela Lutra, Lin. Syst. 1. p. 66 Pen. Br. Zool. 1. p. 92. tab. viii. No. 19. 



— FT, Dyfrgi; G, Doran, Dorcliie.--Not uncommon. Near lakes and 

 rivulets. 

 The usual length of the body of the otter is about 2 feet, and the tail 16 

 inches. The ears are minute : the nostrils furnislied with a valve for closing 

 them when diving ; eyes small, with a dorsal aspect and lateral eyehd ; feet 

 with five toes, and strong grooved nails ; tongue smooth. — In the female, the 

 external organ of generation is a small pouch, in which is tlie entrance to the 

 vagina. It burrows in the banks of rivulets, and brings forth five j-^oung. 

 In Zetland (where it is called Tyke\ the otter frequents the sea-shore. In 



• On the subject of the extinct quadrupeds of Britain ; see a paper wliich 

 I published in the Edin. Phil. Journ. vol. ix. p. 287., " Remarks illustrative 

 of the influence of Society on the Distribution of British Animals." 



