NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER 



No. I. 





''^A 



mm 



•;. -N'^ 



very small. Both ears and nostrils can be closed 

 to exclude the water. The body 

 is long, low, and sinuous in 

 movement, set upon short legs 

 which are loosely articulated. 

 The feet are palmate, with five 

 toes armed with short, non-re- 

 tractile claws, and perfect inter- 

 digital webs. The tail is more 

 than half the length of the head 

 and body, broad at the base, and 

 horizontally flattened. Beneath 

 the root of the tail will be found 

 a pair of small glands containing 

 a fetid liquid secretion. Being 

 an aquatic, sub-Arctic species, the 

 otter is furnished with a body 

 covering of two kinds. The thick, 

 close under-fur, which attains 

 special luxuriance of growth, is ^^^^^'^ ^^^^^^• 

 provided for two purposes, i.e., for keeping 



out the wet when the animal is in the water, 



25 







y •■ ■■■ > ■ 



^-c^-^v 



' >.V..'. 



m\ 



