376 HISTORY OF 



gradations of the amphibious tribe. They all, however, get 

 their living in the water, either by habit or conformation ; they 

 all continue a long time under water; they all consider that 

 clement as their proper abode ; whenever pressed by danger, 

 they fly to the water for security ; and, when upon land, appear 

 watchful, timorous, and unwieldy. 



THE OTTER. 



I>f the first step of the progression from land to amphibious 

 animals, we find the Otter, resembling those of the terrestrial 

 kind in shape, hair, and intei'nal conformation ; resembling the 

 aquatic tribes in its manner of living, and in having membranes 

 between the toes to assist it in swimming. From this peculiar 

 make of its feet, which are very short, it swims even faster than 

 it runs, and can overtake fishes in their own element. The 

 colour of this animal is brown ; and it is somewhat of the shape 

 of an overgrown weasel, being long, slender, and soft skinned. 

 However, if we examine its figure in detail, we shall find it un- 

 like any other animal hitherto described, and of such a shape as 

 words can but weakly convey. Its usual length is about two 

 feet, from the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail ; the 

 head and nose are broad and flat ; the mouth bears some similitude 

 to that of a fish ; the neck is short, and equal in thickness to the 

 head ; the body long ; the tail broad at the insertion, but tapering 

 off to a point at the end ; the eyes are \?ery small, and placed 

 nearer the nose than usual in quadrupeds. The legs are very short, 

 but remarkably strong, broad, and muscular. The joints are arti- 

 culated so loosely, that the animal is capable of turning them quite 

 back, and bringing them on a line with the body, so as to perform 

 the office of fins. Each foot is furnished with five toes, connected 

 by strong broad webs like those of water fowl. Thus nature, in 

 every part, has had attention to the life of an atiimal whose food 

 is fish, and whose haunts must necessarily be about water. 



This voracious animal is never found but at the sides of lakes 

 and rivers, but particularly the former, for it is seldom fond of 

 fishing in a running stream, for the current of the water having 



1 The otti'V (liffiTS in do respect from tlie weasel kind, except in luiving 

 tlie feet webbed, and in li\ing almost constantly in the water, from whence 

 they chiefly derive their food, wliich is Ush. 



