FAMILY CANID.E. 41 



The Canadian Otter, as described by Richardson, appears to be a large variety, with a uni- 

 formly colored fur above and beneath. The figure given by Griffith represents it with a white 

 nose, chin and abdomen. I have carefully compared the skull of the southern species lataxina, 

 with the New- York Otter, and can find no essential nor even trivial difference. If, then, as I 

 apprehend, the species- described by Richardson, and the lataxina, are identical with the one 

 above described, this Otter is found firom the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Gulf of 

 Mexico to the shores of the Arctic sea. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAh.) 



L. lataxina. (Fred. Cuv. Die. Sc. Nat. Vol. 27, p. 243.) Deep blackish brown, paler beneath ; 

 the long coarse hah uniform brown black ; the fine down brownish above, greyish on sides of the 

 head and under side of neck. Carolina, Kentucky. . 



Genus Enhydra, Fleming. Embraces the Sea Otter, and characterized by having six incisors above, 



and but four beneath. Cheek teeth, |f = 38. Body very long ; legs and tail very short. 

 JE. lutris. Sea Otter. (GrifT Cuv. Vol. 2, p. 316, fig.) Chesnut brown or black; twice the size of the 

 common otter ; fur exceedingly fine. Total length five feet ; tail ten inches. North Pacific Coast. 



FAMILY VI. CANIDJE. 



Muzzle elongated, naked, glandular. Ears moderately large, and in most of the domesti- 

 cated species pendent. Tongue smooth and soft. Tail for the most part bushy. Fore 

 feet with five, and hind feet with four not retractile claws. Cheek teeth twelve above, and 

 fourteen below. 



Obs. In this family, we propose to include the Dog, Fox and Wolf, which are extremely 

 difficult to separate by positive characters. The former is known only in a domesticated 

 state. 



GENUS CANIS. 



Tail recurved. Pupil of the eye circular. Vary indefinitely in form, size and color, the 

 result of domestication, 



THE DOMESTIC DOG. 



Canis familiari.?. 



Upwards of thirty varieties or races have been enumerated by systematic writers, nearly all 

 of which have been introduced into this country. Of those peculiar to North America, we 

 find, 



Var. a, borealis. (Esquimaux Dog.) Fur long, thick and woolly beneath ; top of the head 

 and back black ; nose, cheeks, belly and legs white ; ears short, erect. 



Fauna. 6 



