102 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



and even more rapid than those of many fish. Fish are pursued and 

 caught, apparently in fair chase and with great ease, though it is perhaps 

 not safe to say that all kinds are an easy prey. Otters seem to be 

 about equally active night or day, but most so in the morning and 

 evening hours. 



"Live fish, caught in the water and eaten on the banks or on 

 Habits the ice seem to be the favourite food for otters, though it is 

 doubtful if they are more extensively eaten than crayfish. 

 Otter sign is more often composed largely of fish scales and bones and 

 crustacean shells than of any other food remains; but frogs, water fowl, 

 and small mammals or any fresh meats are eagerly eaten. Otters will 

 Boon clear a pond or stream of muskrats, especially in winter when, 

 under the ice, they readily enter the houses and bank burrows. In 

 confinement they are usually fed on fish and fresh meat, about two 

 pounds each per day as an ordinary allowance. This is usually thrown 

 into the water and the animals seem to enjoy fishing it out. 



"To raise otters at a profit, a locality should be selected where an 

 abundant supply of fish can be procured at small cost. 



"Otters are polygamous and, during the early spring months, 

 Habits the males travel widely in search of mates, apparently re- 

 maining with each female no longer than the nuptial period 

 requires. They are soon off in search of new mates and circumstantial 

 evidence indicates that a male is successively paired with as many 

 females as he can find in condition to accept his attentions during the 

 season. The female finds or makes her den alone in burrows or hollow 

 banks, and raises, guards and feeds her family until the young are large 

 enough to hunt and fight for themselves. They follow her until nearly 

 full grown, but, by the time the first snow and ice have come, they have 

 usually scattered and each is living a mainly solitary life. However 

 often their paths may cross or friendly visits may occur, their hunt- 

 ing grounds are selected so far as possible on different streams or lakes; 

 their wanderings are apparently determined by scarcity or abundance 

 of food, and they have no definite home. In confinement they are 

 usually not unfriendly. Two females in a small enclosure in the National 

 Zoological Park have been on good terms for eight years, but a male 

 put in the inclosure with them some years ago was soon killed. For 

 the past 18 months another female and a large male have been in the 

 pen with them and while the three females are usually romping and 

 playing together in the best spirits, one or all often pounce on the male 

 and bite him savagely. Although much larger than any of the females 

 he merely defends himself as best he can and backs away, refusing to 



