150 MAMMALIA OF INDIA. 
This is one of the specimens collected by the Abbé David, after whom 
itis named. A fuller description of it will be found in Milne-Edwards’s 
‘Recherches sur les Mammiftres, page 343. There is also a plate of 
the animal in the volume of illustrations. 
No. 193. PuTORIUS ASTUTUS. 
Hasitat.—Thibet. 
Description.—About the size of Ermine, but with a longer tail. 
Colour brown, the white of the chest tinted with yellow ; tail uniform 
in colour, darker on head. 
Size.—Head and body, ro inches ; tail, 44 inches. 
This is also described and figured by Milne-Edwards. 
No. 194. PutTortus MOUPINENSIS. 
Hasirat.—Thibet. 
DESCRIPTION.—Reddish-brown, white under the chin, and then again 
a patch on the chest. 
LUTRIDE—THE OTTERS. 
We now come to the third group of the musteline animals, the most 
aquatic of all the Fissipedia—the Zuéride or Otters—of which there are 
two great divisions, the common Otters (Zwfra) and the Sea-Otters, 
(Enhydra). With the latter, a most interesting animal in all its ways, 
as well as most valuable on account of its fur, we have nothing to do. 
I am not aware that it is found in the tropics, but is a denizen of the 
North Pacific. Of Zwtra we have several species in two genera. Dr. 
Gray has divided the Otters into no less than nine genera on three 
characteristics, the tail, feet, and muzzle, but these have been held open 
to objection. The classification most to be depended upon is the 
division of the tribe into long-clawed Otters (Zw¢ra), and short or 
rudimentary-clawed Otters (Adonyx). ‘The characteristics of the skulls 
confirm this arrangement, as the short-clawed Otters are distinguishable 
from the others by a shorter and more globose cranium and larger 
molars, and, as Dr. Anderson says, “‘ the inner portion of the last molar 
being the largest part of the tooth, while in Zw¢ra the outer exceeds the 
inner half; the almost general absence of the first upper pre-molar ; 
and the rudimentary claws, which are associated with much more feebly- 
developed finger and toe bones, which are much tapered to a point, 
while in Zutva these bones are strong and well developed.” Gray has 
separated a genus, which he called Preronwra, on account of a flattened 
tail arising from a longitudinal ridge on each side, but this flattening of 
the tail is common to all the genera more or less. 
