52 COMMON OTTER. 



of commerce, being employed for ornamenting robes of 

 state, and for various parts of female dress. The black 

 tips of the tails are peculiarly estimable, and sell at high 

 prices. 



These animals are about ten inches in length, exclusive 

 of the tail, which measures nearly five inches. The 

 under parts of the body are either white or yellowish. 

 The tail is bushy towards the extremity, and black at 

 the tip. 



16. OTTER TRIBE. 



All the Otters are web- footed, and, in some measure, 

 amphibious animals. They reside almost constantly in 

 the water, and feed on fish. There are, in the whole, 

 about eight species. 



Common Otter. Furnished with strong and powerful 

 limbs, and feet webbed, like those of a waterfowl, this 

 animal is enabled to swim, and particularly to dive, with 

 great ease and rapidity. His pursuit in the water is 

 fish, on which he feeds with astonishing voracity, and 

 oftentimes kills many more than he devours. Of the 

 Otter it has been remarked, that he frequently will 

 commit as much havoc in a fish-pond, as the polecat does 

 in a hen-roost. He is a cunning, and at the same time 

 exceedingly ferocious beast; and, if attacked, will de- 

 fend himself with courage and vigour to the last. It is 

 said that he is only to be caught by means of unbaited 

 traps, being so delicate in his feeding, as to reject every 

 kind of bait. The residence of the Otter is always in 

 the neighbourhood of the water, and most commonly in v 

 the bank of some river or brook. This is a den, or 

 burrow, several feet in depth, but so situated, as to be 



