ZOOLOGY. 393 



nian otter, and is also carnivorous. It generally makes its 

 home near islands, and roams about in the water within ten 

 or twenty miles of land. The sea-otter was at one time very 

 abundant along the coast of California, and it was one of the 

 attractions which induced the Russian Fur Company to estab- 

 lish a post at Fort Ross, in latitude 38 30' , where a number 

 of Aleutian Indians were employed, from 1812 to 1840, in the 

 otter fishery. They would start out in their little single ca- 

 noes, made water-proof with a covering of fish-bladders, so 

 that there was no danger of their sinking if the sea should 

 sweep over them, and thus they would go out fifty miles to 

 sea, and travel up and down the coast, usually coming home 

 well-laden with sea-otter skins, worth sixty or eighty dollars 

 each. The sea-otter is still abundant on the southern coast, 

 and there are men in Santa Barbara County who make it a 

 business to hunt them. 



" The otter," says Mr. W. A. Wallace, " is very harmless, 

 and always seeks to escape from human observation. When 

 attacked they make no resistance, but endeavor to escape by 

 sinking in the sea. If closely pursued and there is no escape, 

 they scold and grin like an angry cat. If they escape the ene- 

 my, as soon as they are safe, they turn and deride him with 

 various diverting tricks, such as standing on end in the water, 

 jumping over the waves, holding the paws over the eyes, as 

 if to shade them from the sun while looking at the- enemy 

 then lying fiat upon the back and stroking the belly. In their 

 escape they carry their sucklings in their mouths, and drive 

 before them those not fully grown. They were formerly 

 taken by the Russians and Indians, by means of nets, clubs, 

 and spears. The young are said to be delicate eating, the 

 flesh resembling lamb. The flesh of the old ones is insipid 

 and tough. 



" The otter is never seen upon land. He is purely an 

 aquatic animal. When he swims he turns upon his back, 

 and propels himself with great rapidity. The fore-paws are 



