198 CARNIVORA FISSIPEDIA. 



The fur of the Otter is very valuable, as it can be used 

 for nearly every purpose, either in its natural state, or 

 plucked and dyed. The skins of the North American 

 Otter are worth raw from fifteen to fifty dollars each, 

 and those of the European species from five dollars to 

 fifteen dollars. The finest skins come from Canada, Nova 

 Scotia and Labrador; those from the York Fort district 

 are large, thick and dark; the Halifax skins are also very 

 dark, but rather coarse, like the Norwegian Otters. The 

 best skins come from the East Maine district, and are 

 almost black. Otters found in the Southern States have a 

 thick pelt, and are of low standard. Silvery skins are 

 occasionally met with, but they are rare ; the white are 

 more common. 



There are three species of South American Otters; the 

 largest of these, the Brazil Otter, is often called the Mar- 

 gin Tailed Otter because it has a distinct ridge running 

 along each side of the tail; it is about forty inches long, 

 and has a twenty-two inch tail ; the nose of this species 

 is covered with hair. The color is chocolate on the back, 

 but lighter on the under parts, and it also has light spots 

 on the chin and throat, and some dark spots on the under 

 fur. There is a' hairy nosed Otter found . in the Malay 

 Peninsula. The Japanese Otter is very fine in quality. 



SEA OTTER. 



Zoologists while classing the Sea Otter (Latax-lutris) 

 as belonging to a genus apart from that containing the 

 common Otter, consider it as a member of the family 

 Mustelidae, and we have therefore placed it with the Wea- 

 sels, although in many of its habits, in its general ap- 

 pearance, and in the possesson of long flipper-like hind 

 feet, it very much resembles the Eared Seal. 



The body of the Sea Otter is about three feet long, 

 tapering to the front so that it joins the small rounded 

 head without any marked constriction at the neck. The 

 skin is so large and loose for the size of the body that 

 when it is removed from the animal it can readily be 

 stretched to one-third more than its apparent length. 

 The pelage consists mainly of a fine, soft fur. ainonj 



