4 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



brown at the points, especially on the upper parts 

 and on the outer surface of the legs, the throat, 

 cheeks, breast, belly, and inner parts of legs 

 brownish -grey throughout. Dentition : incisive teeth 

 f, grinders # : # or f : f ; or more scientifically, 

 according to Bell : Incisors f : canines f : false 

 molars | : molars J = yf = 3^. 



To the untrained eye of the unscientific observer, 

 however, the Otter appears to present a type mid- 

 way in size and other attributes between the water- 

 vole (which he will call a water-rat), Microtus 

 amfUhius, and the beaver, Castor -fiber. Really, 

 of course, the Otter is a weasel. 



In the matter of size and weight the average 

 length (in feet) of the male Otter has been given 

 as 3.8. Bell gives the average weight as 

 $ 20 to 241b., $ 16 to 2olb., which seems fairly 

 correct. The '' record " weight of a British Otter 

 is that given by Daniel as having been taken in the 

 River Lea between Hertford and Ware in October, 

 1794, which proved '' upwards of 4olb." One 

 was recorded in the Field of February 20th, 1886, 

 weighing 361b. The largest specimen I have per- 

 sonally examined is that in the collection of the 

 Hon. A. Holland-Hibbert, at Munden, Herts, 

 which weighed 321b. with a '' dry jacket." It was 

 shot in the garden at Munden in 1876. On 

 Wednesday, July loth, 1907, the Essex O.H. killed 



