MAMMALS LUTRINAE. 



183 



This animal is known throughout the United States as wolverine, sometimes as carcajou. In 

 Europe it bears the name of glutton, and in both countries almost fabulous accounts are preva 

 lent of its ferocity and cunning. In the American fur countries they are very annoying to 

 trappers from their propensity to follow their lines of marten traps, and devour either the bait 

 or the animals captured. They also do much mischief by tearing up the caches of provisions 

 or peltry, and either destroying or devouring the contents. 



List of specimens. 



SUB-FAMILY LUTRINAE. 



Mustelidae with the posterioi upper tubercular molar large, quadrate. Number of molars the same in each jaw. Feet short, 

 palmated. 



The typical otters bear a strong resemblance to the minks, the last mentioned group of the 

 weasels, although the skull and teeth approximate much more closely to the Melinae. The 

 body is elongated, the feet short, the toes palmated. The species are generally of large size, 

 and all more or less aquatic. 



The group of the otters embraces three principal genera Lutra, Pterura, and Enhydris. 

 The former again has been subdivided into those with claws, well developed, and those with 

 very rudimentary ones, or none at all. Pterura is a South American genus, having the tail 

 dilated laterally on either side. Of Lutra, North America probably possesses two species ; of 

 Enliydris, one. 



