

211 

 LETTER XXXIX. 



" Domesticated otters, too, 

 Employ their skill for man." 



DEAR SIR. 



THERE now remains only one more ramification of 

 the quadruped race, which I purpose to exhibit to 

 your vie\v. This is essentially distinguished from the 

 rest of that, class, by the faculty of living equally in 

 the water and on the land, for which reason animals 

 of this kind are usually denominated amphibious, as 

 being inhabitants of two different elements. In the.se 

 T flatter myself you will perceive the attributes of 

 tire Deity not less conspicuously displayed than in 

 all the other classes of animated nature. 



All quadrupeds of this nature have this character- 

 istic distinction, that although they are covered 

 with hair, like the generality of their kind, they 

 are furnished with membranes between their toes, 

 which enable them to swim with facility. Some 

 more nearly resemble the constant inhabitants of the 

 deep, by having their hind foot joined to the body 

 like -fins. 



Tiiii OTTER 



may be said to constitute the first step of this grada- 

 tion between terrestrial and aquatic animctls, the for- 

 mer of which it resembles in exterior appearance arid 

 internal conformation, and the latter in its ability to 

 swim, as Well as in its habit, and mode of subsistance. 

 The usual length of the otter is about, two feet from 

 the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail, 

 the head and nose is broad and flat, the mouth 

 is formed like that of a fish: the neck is thick 

 und -short, the eyes are small, the tail is long, broad 

 near the body, and gradually tapering to the point: 

 the legs are short, but the joints are extremely pliant. 

 The fur of this animal is of a deep brown, with two 

 small spots on each side of the nose and another un- 

 der the chin. 



