4!X THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



is fishing ; and by his diving he appears to be successful. 

 It is a curious fact, that the otter will not eat the hind part 

 of a fish, rejecting all but the head and shoulders. This is 

 the only brute animal that appears to enjoy play for its own 

 sake, merely for amusement, in adult age. Some years ago, 

 I was travelling on foot in Newfoundland, from St. Mary's 

 on the southern coast, to Trinity Bay. It was in the month 

 of January, and there was a considerable depth of snow on 

 the ground. The old furrier, who acted as my guide, showed 

 me many " otter slides." These were always on a steep 

 sloping bank of a pond or stream, where the water remained 

 unfrozen. They were as smooth and slippery as glass, 

 caused by the otters sliding on them in play, in the following 

 manner: — Several of these animals seek a suitable place, 

 and then each in succession, lying flat on his belly, at the 

 top of the bank, slides swiftly down over the snow, and 

 plunges into the water. The others follow, while he crawls 

 up the bank at sonie distance, and running round to the 

 sliding place, takes his turn again, to perform the same evo- 

 lution as before. The wetness running from their bodies 

 freezes on the surface of the slide, and so the snow becomes 

 a smooth glitter of ice. This sport, I was assured, is fre- 

 quently continued with the utmost eagerness, and with every 

 demonstration of delight, for hours together. 



C. — Is not the otter a slow-moving animal on land ? 

 the shortness of its legs seems to adapt it but poorly for 

 running. 



F. — On the contrary, it is said to run with considerable 

 speed : but if I am rightly informed, it occasionally aids its 

 velocity in a very ridiculous manner. A neighbour, on whose 

 word I could rely, told me that he once saw an otter on a 

 pond in these townships, which he pursued. It was winter, 

 and the snow was about knee-deep, but had a slight crust. 

 The otter would run a few yards, then rearing himself up, and 



