QUADRUPEDS. 17 



The ear of tJ^e ermine weasel is broad at its '..-ase, and the ori- 

 fice leading tc the internal ear large ; the ears- are not covered 

 with fur on their posterior surface, but by a very short down. On 

 the superior and anterior part of the external ear, there is some 

 hair of considerable length growing from that part of the ear 

 which would correspond with the helix and anti-helix of the human 

 ear, and almost covering the concha. The eyes of this animal are 

 small and black, yet prominent, clear, and lustrous. 



The fur of the ermine becomes longer, thicker, and finer in win- 

 ter than in summer ; this effect seems to be a general consequence 

 of rigorous seasons on all animals, without reference to the perma- 

 nence or mutability of their coloring. 



To take these pests, use such square steel traps as are already 

 described, but smaller ; bait with small birds, their tails dipped in 

 musk and aniseed ; the weasel displaying as strong a predilection 

 for this substance as the cat does for valerian. 



THE COMMON OTTER varies in size some adult specimens mea- 

 suring no more than thirty-six inches in length, tail inclusive ; 

 while others, again, are to be found from four and a half to five 

 feet long. The head of the otter is broad and flat ; its muzzle is 

 broad, rounded, and blunt ; its eyes small and of a semicircular 

 form , the body is long, rounded, and veiy flexible ; legs short and 

 muscular ; feet furnished with five sharp clawed toes, webbed to 

 three-quarters of their extent ; tail long, muscular, somewhat flat- 

 tened, and tapering to its extremity. The color of the otter is a 

 deep blackish brown ; the sides of the head, the front of the neck, 

 and sometimes the breast, brownish grey or dusky white. The 

 belly is usually, but not invariably, darker than the back ; the fur 

 is short, and of two kinds ; the inferior or woolly coat is exceed- 

 ingly fine and close ; the longer hairs are soft and glossy, those on 

 the tail rather stiff and bristly. On either side of the nose, and 

 just below the chin, are two small light-colored spots. So much 

 for the appearance of the otter ; we r ow come to its dwelling. 



The native haunt of the otter is tl e river bank, where, amongst 

 the reeds and sedge, it forms a deep burrow, in which it brings 

 forth and rears its young. Its principal food is fish, which it 

 catches with singular dexterity. It lives almost wholly in the 

 water, and -seldom leaves it except to devour its prey ; on land it 

 does not usually remain long at any one time, and the slightest 

 alarm is sufficient to cause it to plunge into the stream. Yet, na- 

 tural as seems a watery residence to this creature, its burrow is per- 



