134 BULLETIN NO. VII. 
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into the hollow, and soon killed the Otters, with which we 
returned home.” . 
Their structure being identical, the American and Kuropean 
Otters cannot differ in their general movements and attitudes. 
In speaking of the conformation of the latter species, Bell 
remarks that evidently every facility consistent with the preser- 
vation of its structural relations with the rest of the group is 
given to the Otter for the pursuit and capture of its proper 
food. ‘‘It swims and dives with great readiness and with pecu- 
liar ease and elegance of movement; and although its action 
on land is far from being awkward and difficult, yet it is cer- 
tainly in the water that the beautiful adaptation of its structure 
to its habits is most strikingly exhibited. It swims in nearly 
a horizontal position, and dives instantaneously after the fish- 
that may glide beneath it, or pursues it under water, changing 
its course as the fish darts in various directions to escape from 
it, and when the prey is secured, brings it on shore to its retreat 
to feed.” 
Yielding a pelt of great beauty and value, from the exqui- 
site softness and rich warm color of the fur, as well as from 
the size of the animal, the American Otter is systematically 
pursued by professional trappers. I have already given some 
figures showing the thousands annually destroyed, and will 
condense from Mr. Gibson’s work, already often quoted, the ac- 
count of the various methods employed—for every trapper has 
his own notions and ways of doing things, and in the pursuit 
of so valuable and so wary a creature as the Otter there is 
room for large and varied experience. The animal seems to be 
taken in this country usually, if not invariably, with the steel 
trap, a special size and make of which, with two springs, goes 
by the name of ‘‘Otter trap.” Searching for a ‘‘slide,” or place 
where the animal habitually crawls from. the water up the 
bank the hunter sets the trap on the spot, a few inches under 
water. No bait is here required; and devices are used in se 
curing the trap by which the animal may be led into deep 
water when caught, or lifted upward, the design in either case 
being to prevent the animal’s escape by gnawing off the im- 
prisoned limb. The trap may also be placed at the top of the 
slide, two or three feet back of the slope, in a place hollowed 
to receive it, and covered with snow. Under such circum- 
stances, care is taken not to handle the trap with the bare 
hands. Itis scented with various animal odors, and, to fur- 
ther insure success, a ‘‘way” is made to the trap by means of 
