BELIKERL 43 



they formed. I often watched them 

 in the sea from the cliff above their 

 cave, and used to try my rifle upon 

 them ; but as they invariably dived to 

 the flash of the gun, I never got one, 

 and I cannot tell whether the sea otter 

 differs from the kind which frequents 

 the streams inland. I got a fine speci- 

 men of the latter kind one morning 

 on the Mysore border, while strolling 

 along a glade between the bamboo 

 jungle and a pretty stream, and looking 

 for peafowl. A whole family of otters 

 rushed headlong down from the jungle 

 to the stream. I rolled over the last 

 of the party, and found I had killed a 

 fine dog otter nearly three feet long. 

 The skin is russet brown, with close- 

 set, glossy fur. 



