NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER 



No - 



very small. Both ears and nostrils can be closed 



to exclude the water. The body 



is long, low, and sinuous in 



movement, set upon short legs 



which are loosely articulated. 



The feet are palmate, with five 



toes armed with short, non-re- 



tractile claws, and perfect inter- 



digital webs. The tail is more 



than half the length of the head 



and body, broad at the base, and 



horizontally flattened. Beneath 



the root of the tail will be found 



a pair of small glands containing 



a fetid liquid secretion. Being 



an aquatic, sub-Arctic species, the 



otter is furnished with a body 



covering of two kinds. The thick, 



close under-fur, which attains 



special luxuriance of growth, is TTER ' S RuDDER - 



provided for two purposes, i.e., for keeping 



out the wet when the animal is in the water, 



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