CANIS.] MAMMALIA FER^. 13 



8. M. Erminea, Linn. (Stoat or Ermine.) Reddish 

 brown above, beneath white ; or wholly white : extremity 

 of the tail always black. 



M. Erminea, Desm. Mammal, p. 180. Flem. Brit. An. p. 13. Stoat, 

 Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 89. pi. 17. no. 18. Shaw, Gen. Zool. 

 vol. i. p. 426. pi. 99. 



DIMENS. Length of the head and body ten inches; of the head one 

 inch eleven lines ; of the ears six lines ; of the tail five inches. 



DESCRIPT. Larger than the last species, to which it is closely allied 

 (Summer dress.) Upper part of the head, neck, and back, as well as a 

 considerable portion of the tail, reddish brown ; under parts white tinged 

 with yellow; tail terminating in a tuft of black hair (Winter dress.) 

 Wholly white, or white with a slight tinge of yellow, the extremity of the 

 tail excepted, which remains black Obs. In spring and autumn these 

 two liveries are found intermixed. 



Equally common with the weasel. Habits similar. 



GEN. 4. LUTRA, Cuv. 



9- L. vulgaris, Desm. (Otter.) Deep brown : sides 

 of the head, throat and breast, cinereous. 



L. vulgaris, Desm. Mammal, p. 188. Flem. Brit. An. p. 16. Otter, 

 Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 92. pi. 8. no. 19. Shaw, Gen. Zool. 

 vol. i. p. 437. pi. 100. 



DIMENS. Length of the head and body two feet three inches ; of the 

 head five inches ; of the ears eight lines ; of the tail one foot four inches 

 and a half : girth one foot four inches. 



DESCRIPT. Head broad and flattened : muzzle obtuse: upper lip very 

 thick and muscular, projecting over the lower: mouth rather small: 

 whiskers strong, nearly three inches in length : eyes small, situate one 

 inch behind the nostrils: ears short and rounded, almost hid in the 

 fur : hair on the body of two kinds ; the finer sort grayish white ; the 

 longer and coarser grayish white at the roots, deep brown at the ex- 

 tremity, the latter colour alone appearing externally : sides of the head, 

 throat, under surface of the neck, and breast, cinereous : hair on the 

 feet short, brown with a reddish tinge: tail dusky brown. 



Inhabits the banks of rivers, lakes, and marshes. Swims and dives 

 with great facility, and is destructive to fish, on which it preys. Breeds 

 in March : goes with young nine weeks, and produces from four to five 

 at a birth. 



GEN. 5. CANIS, Linn. 



(1. CANIS, Flem.) 

 * 10. C. familiaris, Linn. (Dog.) Tail recurved. 



C. familiaris, Desm. Mammal, p. 190. Flem. Brit. An. p. 10. Dog, Penn. 

 Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 59. Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. i. p. 273. pi. 75. 



DESCRIPT. Known only in the domesticated state. Varieties extremely nu- 

 merous, offering every gradation of size, form, colour, and quality of the hair. 



