196 CARNIVORA FISSIPEDIA. 



OTTER. 



All Otters are so like one another that it is difficult 

 to determine the exact number of species, but it is certain 

 that there are at least ten species of true Otters; one 

 of which is European and Oriental, three are exclusively 

 Oriental, two are African and four are American. The 

 largest member of the group is the Brazilian Otter, the 

 smallest representatives are the feline Otter of South 

 America, and the clawless Otter of India; the best known 

 of the species is the European or Common Otter (Lutra- 

 vulgaris), and the most valuable is the North American 

 Otter (Lutra-canadensis). 



Otters Vary much in size, the average length being 

 thirty inches, exclusive of the tail which will measure 

 about fifteen inches. The general color of the fur varies 

 from a fawn to a liver brown when the top or hair coat 

 is on the skins, the chin, throat and under part of the 

 body always being lighter than the back. The under- 

 fur remaining, when the top hairs have been plucked 

 out, varies from a light tan in some skins, to a golden 

 brown tint in others. 



Their elongated forms, with but slight restriction at 

 the neck, enable the Otters to glide through the water 

 with ease and speed, and the dense under fur affords them 

 protection against the cold. Their teeth are so constructed 

 that they can both hold such slippery prey as fishes, and 

 pierce their scales, with equal facility. They have broad, 

 flat heads with small external ears, a neck so thick that 

 it passes imperceptibly into the trunk, and short legs with 

 webbed feet, and curved blunt claws. They are expert 

 and graceful swimmers and divers, and live exclusively 

 on fish when they are procurable. They frequent all kinds 

 of bodies of water, sometimes even descending to the sea. 

 In feeding they hold the fish in the forepaws, eating down 

 to the vent, and leaving the tail, but only a small propor- 

 tion of the fish they capture are devoured, as the Otter 

 seems to delight in killing for killing's sake. Otters 

 never hibernate, and in winter, when they cannot procure 

 fish, they will kill poultry, and smaller animals. They are 



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