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AMPHIBIOUS QJJADRUPEDS. . 



ALL quadrupeds of this kind, though covered with hair, are fur- 

 nilhed with membranes between the toes. Their paws are broad, 

 their legs (hort, fitted for rwimming, .for taking fhort flrokes, and 

 quickly repeating them. Some, like the otter, refcmble quadrupeds, 

 except as being web-footed; others, like the beaver, are not only web- 

 footed, but have the tail covered with fcalcs. Others, as the feal and 

 the morfe, have the hind-feet ftuck to the body like fins. And others, 

 as the manati, have no hind-feet, and never come on fhore. But all 

 get their living in the water ; all continue long under water i when prtft 

 by danger, fly to the water for fecurityj and, when upon land, are 

 timorous and unwieldy. 



The OTTER refembles quadrupeds in (hape, hair, and internal 

 conformation J but refembles the aquatic tribes in its manner of living, 

 and in having membranes between the toes to afiifl: it in Iwimming. Ic 

 fwims even fafter than it runs, and can overtake fifhes in their own cle- 

 ment. Its colour is brown ; it >s long, flender, and foft f!<inned ; is 

 about two feet long from nofe to tail ; the head and nofe are broad and 

 flat ; the neck fliort ; the body long; the tail broad at the infertion, but 

 tapering to a point; the eyes are very fmall, and placed nearer the nofe 

 than ufual in quadrupeds; legs very Ihort, but remarkably Ilrong, broad 

 and mufcular. Their joints articulated fo loofely, that the animal can 

 turn them quite back, and bring them on a line with the body, fo as to 

 perform the office of fins. Each foot is fumiflied with five toes, con- 

 netfted by ftrong broad webs like thole of water fowl. 



The otter attends the fides of lakes and rivers, but particularly the 

 former ; is feldom fond of filliing in a running dream ; but in rivers al- 

 ways fwims againft the ftream, and meets the fifties, its prey, rather than 

 purlues them. In lakes it deftroys much more than it devours, and often 

 fpoils a pond in a few nights. The otter catches its prey from the bottom 

 upward, or, purfuing it into fome little creek, feizes it there. This 

 animal, upon taking in a quantity of air, can remain fome minutes at 

 the bottom : there whatever filh pafles over it is certainly taken ; for, as 



No. 24. Y the 



