- 



LUTKA. 



formed by mattered masses of the basaltic columns of tlie 

 t of Antrim, where a price U set upon iU head, in consequence 

 of iU destruction of the salmon, strengthen Mr. Ogiluy in this opinion, 

 from which Mr. Bell differs, observing that Mr. Ogilby states that he 

 had not hud an opportunity of comparing it with the Common Otter, 

 that ho (Mr. Bell) does not find in the stuffed specimen presented by 

 Mr. Ogilby characters sufficiently distinct to lead to the belief that it 

 is more than a very dark and handsome variety, and that two skins of 

 Zetland otters (which are equally marine in their habits) presented to 

 him (Mr. Bell) are almost as dark-coloured ; Mr. Bell adds that these 

 skins are larger than those usually found in England, and that the fur 

 is nearly as fine at those imported from America, 



The variety spotted with white is supposed to be the ' King of the 

 Otters' of the Scotch vulgar, who hold that it bears a sort of charmed 

 life, in so for that its death is never unaccompanied by the death of a 

 man or some other living creature. The skin is considered precious 

 as an antidote against infection, wounds, and the dangers of the sea. 

 One of these spotted otters U in the Museum at Paris, near which 

 place it was found. Mr. Macgillivray says that he has heard of white 

 otters, but had never seen an albino. 



In the older annals of sporting in this country otter-hunting holds 

 no inconsiderable place. Somerville describes it at some length and 

 with much unction in his fourth book (' Cliacc ') towards the end. It 

 is now fast dying away, but is still kept up in some places, as in Wales 

 and Scotland. The pretty vignette at the close of Mr. Bell's interest- 

 ing history of the Otter waa taken as one of the memoranda of a 

 day's sport in Glamorganshire. Mr. Macgillivray informs us that 

 Mr. Lomare hunted the Dumfriesshire rivers in 1833, 1834, and 

 1835, and that Lord John Scott keeps a pack of otter-hounds for the 

 streams in Roxburghshire. 



The Common Otter is found generally throughout Europe. 

 L. Kair has the fur deep-chestnut, lightest on the sides ; lower part 

 of the neck and cheeks, as well as the throat, reddish bright-brown ; 

 above the eye a ruddy yellow or yellowish-white spot. 



Thin is the Nir-nayie of the people of Pondicherry, and is probably 

 the species seen by Bishop Heber, who passed a row of nine or ten 

 large and very beautiful otters, tethered with straw collars and long 

 strings to bamboo stakes on the banks of the Malta Colly. " Some 

 were swimming about at the full extent of their strings, or lying half 

 in and half out of the water ; others were rolling themselves in the 

 nun on the sandy bank, uttering a shrill whistling noise as if in piny. 

 I was told that most of the fishermen in this neighbourhood kept one 

 or more of these animals, who were almost as tame as dogs, and of 

 great use in fishing ; sometimes driving the shoals into the nets, some- 

 times bringing out the larger fish with their teeth." Another proof, 

 if any were wanting, of the feasability of taming these animals and 

 rendering them useful to man. 



It is a native of the East Indies. Colonel Sykes notes, in his list of 

 Mammalia obtained in Dukhun (I)eccan), " Lulra ffair, F. Cuv., Juhl 

 Marjur, or Water-Cat of the Mahrattas. The Otter of Dukhun differs 

 only from the ffair in wanting the white spots over the eyes, in 

 having a white upper lip, and in being somewhat larger." ('ZooL 

 Proc.,' 1830-81.) 



L. C'ai,mtii (genus Aonyr of Lesson), the Cape Otter, has the fur 

 soft, full, and thick, chestnut-brown, deepest on the rump, limbs, and 

 tail, brighter on the sides, and brownish-gray upon the head ; under 

 part of the body white. Length 2 feet 10 inches from the muzzle to 

 the tail, which is 1 foot 8 inches. 



M. Lesson allows that this species, which he has elevated to the 

 rank of a genus, possesses the same general characters as the Lntrir, 

 such as the dentary system and form of the body ; and makes the 

 difference solely consist in the form of the feet and toes, which ho 

 nyi are hardly joined by a membrane. Ue states that the second 

 toe would seem conjoined to the third throughout its first articulation. 

 These toe* are both more elongated than the succeeding ones, and all 

 the toes are without claws, or rather, a vestige of a rudimentary nail 

 U only observed on the second and third toes of the posterior feet 

 He records the species as Aonyr Dtlalan-lii (L. inunguit of O. Cuvicr 

 and F. Cuvier), ' Diet Sc. Nat.' But Cuvier, in his last edition of 

 the ' Itegne Animal,' writing on the Cape Otter (A,. Capetuit, F. Cuvier), 

 remark* that the white of the throat, the sides of the head, and of 

 the neck, is more pure than that of the Javanese Simung (L. 1. 

 I lorsfield), and that there is some of this colour at the end of the nose ; 

 but, he add*, what most distinguishes it is that (at a certain age at 

 least) it ha* no nails, a character on which M. Lesson established his 

 genus Atmyr. Nevertheless, continues Cuvier in conclusion, young 

 individuals have been brought from the Cape which have nails, and 

 it remains to be proved whether these are of the same species. This 

 specie* haunt* the salt pools of the sea-shores of the Cape, and lives 

 on fish and crustaceans. 



L. Canadmtii (Sabine), the Canada Otter ; the 1 /outre de Canada of 

 I In (Ton ; Land-Otter of Warden ; Common Otter of Pennant (' Arct 

 Zoo).'); Ltttra Branlientit of Harlan ; the American Otter of Oodman ; 

 Neekeek of the Croc Indians ; and Capucca of the inhabitant* of Nootka. 

 Sir John Richardson, who gives these synonyms, states succinctly 

 the various opinions of authors a* to this species, and concludes by 

 following Colonel Sabine's opinion that it is peculiar to the northern 

 district* of America, 



LUTRA. 



It has the fur above and below shilling brown, and much 

 that of the Beaver. Size much larger than that of the European Otter, 

 Lutra rulijarit. Length from nose to tip of tail (which is 18 inches) 

 about 5 feet 



In its habits and food Sir John Richardson states that the Canada 

 Otter resembles the European specie*. In the winter season it fre- 

 quents rapids and falls for the advantage of open water ; and when 

 its usual haunts are frozen over it will travel to a great distance 

 through the snow in search of a rapid that has resisted the frost 

 When seen and pursued by the hunters, as it is on these journeys, it 

 throws itself forward on its belly and slides through the snow for 

 several yards, leaving a deep furrow behind it This movement is 

 described by Sir John as being repeated with so much rapidity, that 

 even a swift runner on snow-shoe* has much trouble in overtaking it 

 It also doubles on its track with much cunning, and dives under the 

 snow to elude its pursuers. When closely pressed it will turn and 

 defend itself obstinately. When Sir John Richardson's party were at 

 Great Bear Lake, in the spring of 1826, these otters robbed their nets 

 which had been set under the ice a few yards from a piece of open 

 water. They generally carried off the heads of the fish, leaving the 

 bodies sticking in the net 



The female brings forth one litter in the year, consisting of two 

 or three. 



The Mackenzie and other rivers nearly to the Arctic Sea are the 

 common residence of this otter. There appears however to be no 

 difference between the skins obtained on the shores of the Pacific ami 

 those in the neighbourhood of Hudson's Bay. ('Fauna Boreali- 

 Araericana.') 



The fur is valuable, and a considerable article of commerce ; it varies 

 with the season. In summer the hair is very short, and then it is 

 almost black ; in winter it becomes a rich reddish-brown, with thu 

 exception of the grayish spot under the chin. The fur is nearly as 

 fine as beaver-wool, but not HO long, and consequently is not so well 

 adapted for felt Sir John Richardson says that 7000 or 8000 arc 

 annually exported to England. 



L. BraiUtentit (Ray). It has the fur short and close, of a bright 

 ruddy yellow deepening into chestnut towards the extremity of the 

 limbs and tail ; lower part of the neck and throat pale yellow. Length, 

 male, 3 feet 6 j inches ; tail, which is very thick, 18 inches. The largest 

 female possessed by D'Azara was 31 inches long, including the till, 

 which was 15 inches. Another measured 36 inches, 12 inches for 

 the tail. 



M. Lesson states that this is the only otter which is deprived of the 

 glandular apparatus round the nostrils. 



This is the Lobo de Rio (River- Wolf) of the colonists ; but D'Azara 

 observes that it is not a wolf, but an otter, belonging to the same 

 family ax the European species, from which it differs ; and he accord- 

 ingly calls it .Vu(ri. It is. the Miatda Lutra (Sratitieiuit ft) of 

 Omelin. 



D'Azara says that this species lives iu troops, which sometimes, 

 rising to the surface of the water, lift their heads and bark like dogx, 

 with a hoarse voice, in a menacing and snapping manner, without 

 however injuring voyagers or swimmers. Each family seems to possess 

 a separate domain. It spends nearly as much time in the water as it 

 does upon land, where it devours the fish which it has taken, and rears 

 its young in holes which it excavates in the banks. The same author 

 was informed by the Payaguas Indians, who sail continually up .ui I 

 down the river, and are better acquainted with this animal than others, 

 that the female brings forth two at a birth covered with hair, and that 

 many females bring forth anil roar their young at the same time and 

 in the same place, their usual resort throughout the year. The 

 motions of this otter are generally slow, and it drags, as it were, 

 its belly and muzzle along the ground: when it runs it is not at 

 all swift 



D'Azara further states that a neighbour of his purchased a young 

 whelp which at six months old was 34 inches long. It was permitted 

 to run loose about the house, and was fed with fish, flesh, brood, 

 mandioca, and other food, but it preferred fish. It would walk into 

 the street and return, knew the people of the house, came when called 

 by name, and would follow them like a dog, but its short legs soon 

 failed it, and it soon grow weary. It would amuse itself with dogs 

 and cats as well as with their masters ; but it was a rough play-fellow, 

 and required to be treated cautiously, for it bit sharply. It n. v IT 

 harmed poultry or any other animal excepting sucking-pigs, which 

 were not safe within its reach, and it would have killed them if it hm! 

 not been prevented. It entered all the rooms, and slept always below 

 the bed, was very cleanly, and always visited one particular spot for 

 the deposit of its excrements. 



According to D'Azara it inhabits the lakes, river.", and rivulets of 

 Paraguay, who at first stated that he did not believe that it entered 

 salt-water, and that it* geographical range did not extend to the river 

 Plata ; but in his French abridgement he states that the species is 

 found in that river. 



From M'Culloch's lists it appears that the number of otter-skins 

 exported from Quebec in 1808 amounted to 7230, at II. per skin. In 

 1826 the numbers were less, 1608 having been exported from that 

 place in that year. In 1829, 14,862 were imported into Britain : of 

 these 39 came from Germany, 13,104 from the British North American 



