THE OTTER 173 



The skunk is quite weasel-like in build, but the Teledu 

 (Mydaus meliceps) is of stouter build and more generally 

 resembles the badger. It is a native of Java. In size it is 

 about equal to the skunk, though its shorter hair and 

 stumpy tail give the impression that it is much smaller. It 

 is a confirmed burrower, and when it makes its way into 

 gardens and plantations it works much damage. The land- 

 owner almost cheerfully suffers this injury rather than eject 

 the creature and thus give rise to an intolerable stench, 

 almost as vile in character as that emitted by the skunk. 



Sub -Family Lutrinae. 



OTTER (Lutra vulgaris). 



Coloured Plate IX. Fig. i. 



The Otters, while quite active on land, are only thoroughly 

 at home when in the water ; yet in order to conform them to 

 an aquatic life there is little change in their structure beyond 

 the webbing of the toes, the shortening and flattening of the 

 head, and the horizontal flattening of the tail into a very 

 serviceable rudder. 



The Common Otter is one of the largest and certainly 

 one of the most attractive of the British Carnivora ; and it 

 is more common than is generally supposed where fish are 

 abundant. Very often the animal travels considerable 

 distances from river to river, incidentally straying into 

 special trout pools and fish-breeding ponds, to its own 

 satisfaction and correspondingly to the chagrin of the 

 owner. When the supply of fish fails it will prey upon 

 birds, small animals, poultry, and even young lambs 

 and pigs. 



The Otter is about a yard in length, of which the tail 

 forms one-third. The legs are short and the five toes are 

 webbed and fitted with blunt claws ; the feet are so placed 

 that they can almost perform the action of fins. The 

 eyes of the animal are placed nearer the nose than in 

 most other animals, allowing it easily to see upwards, for 

 which reason the Otter generally pursues its prey from the 



