THE OTTER. 5 



Two smaller species of this family frequent the adjacent 

 meadows; the pretty little SHORT-TAILED FIELD-MOUSE 

 (Arvicola agrestis), found in damp meadows and other 

 places, often locally called the water-mouse. Its usual 

 food consists of herbs and roots, but it is said it will 

 eat flesh when pressed for hunger ; but it is not so fond 

 of insect or animal food as the RED FIELD- VOLE (Arvicola 

 glareolus), commonly known as the bank-vole, which is 

 easily distinguished by its brighter red colour, more glossy 

 fur, and the length of the tail, besides the peculiarity of 

 the teeth. Bell says : " This most remarkable peculiarity 

 is the development in the adult of distinct roots to the 

 molar teeth ; the first upper grinder has four cemental 

 spaces and five angles, the second has six spaces and 

 eight angles, and the first lower grinder has seven spaces 

 and nine angles." 



These pretty little animals seldom come under observa- 

 tion unless specially sought after. 



THE OTTER. 



A few years ago otters were rarely found farther south 

 than our midland counties. At the present time there is 

 scarcely a river in the United Kingdom in which this animal 

 is not trapped. In our southern chalk-streams otters have 

 become rather formidable in their numbers, and yet these 

 rivers are perhaps more carefully watched than any other ; 

 but otters are great wanderers. It is more than probable 

 that the strict preservation of fish of all kinds, particularly 

 of the Salmonidae, is the cause of this great increase. 



The OTTER (Lutra vulgaris) is of the family Mustelidce. 

 The body is elongated and low. The feet have five toes, 

 all palmated. The tail is flattened horizontally, the tongue 

 roughish, and the ears small. 



The otter appears to have been considered, if not a fish, 

 certainly very fishy by the Church of Rome, and was allowed 

 to be eaten on fast-days. Pennant saw one being cooked for 

 dinner in the Carthusian Convent at Dijon. This religious 



