HISTORY OF VERMONT. 123 



among the amphibious animals, which can live 

 either in the air, or v/ater ; but he is not pro- 

 perly an amphibious animal, for he cannot li\e 

 witliout respiration, any more than the land ani- 

 mals. The female is in heat in the winter, and 

 bears lier young in the month of March ; tlie 

 litter generally consists of three or four. The 

 fierceness and strcnp'th of the old otters, is such, 

 that the dog can seldom overcome them : And 

 when they cannot escape, tlicy Vv'ili attack the 

 hunter with srreat ra^'e. The colour of this ani- 

 mal is black, and its fur is much esteemed. 

 The otter formerly abounded very much in our 

 creeks, and rivers ; and especially in those, 

 which empty themselves into Lake Cham- 

 plain : On this account, one of them still bears 

 the name of Ottercreek ; but the animal is now 

 become scarce. The largest otter, of which I 

 have a particular account, w^eighed twenty nine 

 pounds and an half. 



To this account of the quadrupeds of Ver- 

 mont, I shall subjoin some reflections on the 

 general state of these animals in America. 



The enumeration very intperfect. Our ac- 

 counts of the quadrupeds in this, and in every 

 part of America, must be viewed as greatly im- 

 perfect. The descendants of Europe have set- 

 tled along the sea coasts, and they have pene- 

 trated to the lakes, and most of the navigable 

 rivers. But the internal partsoiS. America, are but 

 little known : And all that immense tract of country 

 in N. America, which lies to the north, and to 

 the west of the lakes, is wholly unexplored. It 

 is not to be doubted, but these extensive re- 

 gions, abound with quadrupeds : Of what spe- 



