LUTRA NAIR. 87 



white, or reddish-white ; upper lip, sides of head and neck, chin and 

 thi"oat, whitish, the line of separation between the two colours moi-e or less 

 distinctly marked ; in some the throat tinged with orange-brown ; paws 

 albescent in some, simply of a lighter shade in othei's ; tail brown beneath. 

 F. Cuvier, in his description, mentions some pale facial spots, but these 

 are indistinct, though there is sometimes a faint pale eyebrow. 



Total length up to 46 inches, of which the tail is 17, and 3 inches 

 wide at the base. 



I have followed Blyth in joining L. nair and L. indica, though at one 

 time I was strongly inclined to believe them distinct. My impression 

 was that the common otter of most of the rivers of Southern India at 

 all events, was distinct from the generally larger and more robust otter 

 found in such numbers along the Malabar coast, and in lower Bengal ; and 

 that the latter, besides being larger, had the fur moi'e reddish or yel- 

 lowish-brown, and with the two colours much more distinctly divided ; in 

 fact more resembling Lutra vulgaris; butin the absence of authentic speci- 

 mens, I can only draw the attention of observers for future verification. 



Accepting the synonymy as above then, this Otter is found throughout 

 all India, from the extreme South and Ceylon, to the foot of the Hima- 

 layas, and from the Indus to Burmah and Malayana, frequenting alike 

 rivers and salt-water inlets, and from the level of the sea to a consider- 

 able elevation. It has its lair under large rocks, among boulders, and 

 in alluvial countries excavates extensive burrows, generally in some 

 elevated spot close to the river, with numerous entrances. It is almost 

 always found in parties of five, six, or more, and, though partly nocturnal 

 in its habits, may often be seen hunting after the sun is high, and some- 

 time before sunset. I have seen a party out in the sea, on the Malabar 

 coast, pi-obably making their way from one backwater to another ; but as 

 they are very numerous on this coast, they may now aud then hunt in 

 the sea. This otter is trained in some parts of Bengal to assist in fishing, 

 by driving the fish into the nets. Young ones are not unusually caught 

 in the fishermen's nets, and ai-e very easily tamed. I had one brought 

 me when very young, whilst at Tellicherry, on the Malabar coast, which 

 I brought up with a terrier dog, with whom it became very friendly. This 

 otter would follow me in my walks like a dog, and amuse itself by a few 

 gambols in the water when it had the ojiportunity, and now and then 

 caught frogs and small fish. As it grew older it took to going about by 

 itself, and one day found its way to the bazaar, aud seized a large fish 



