OTTERS. 121 



nificant. Considering their habits, these animals would 

 only be- incommoded by a long tail, and it is, therefore, 

 abbreviated to suit the conditions of their life. But 

 when the animal has to propel itself rapidly through 

 the water, and to be endued with great agility as well 

 as speed, it is evident that as it is a trespasser in the 

 domains of the fishes, it must have something of the 

 fish-structure. 



This object is attained chiefly by the form of the 

 tail, which, instead of being short and insignificant, as 

 in the terrestrial weasels, is very long, thick, and 

 powerful. Moreover, it is slightly compressed. By 

 means of this organ the Otter can propel itself through 

 the water with wonderful rapidity, the movement being 

 from side to side, just as is the case with the whales, 

 the seals, the crocodiles, the newts, and the water- 

 snakes. 



Besides the tail, the Otter has other^ instruments of 

 propulsion namely, the feet, the toes of which are 

 webbed, so as to present a wider surface to the water. 

 The feet, however, are more used to balance and direct 

 the body than to propel it, as can easily be seen by 

 watching the animal as it pursues its course through 

 the water. 



It is absolutely impossible to exaggerate, and not 

 easy to describe adequately, the wonderful beauty, 

 ease, and gracefulness of its movements in the water. 

 On land, though it can proceed at a considerable pace, 

 it has anything but a graceful gait. Its ordinary walk 

 is a pattering trot, but when it is hurried it changes its 

 pace to that of an up-and-down kind of gallop, which 

 certainly is speedy, but is not graceful. This peculiar 



