THE CAPE POLECAT, OR ZOEILLE. 176 



departure, in a few minor points, from the typical characters, as it differs in colour, in the texture of 

 its fur, and the strength of its claws, from its northern congeners. 



This animal lives in burrows or holes of its own excavating ; hence the claws of the fore feet 

 are remarkably powerful, and well adapted to its work. Its hair is long, 

 coarse, and moderately thick on every part of the body the head being ex- 

 cepted, where it is short and smooth. Its colour on the back is an irregular 

 mixture of black and white longitudinal stripes ; the head is black, with a 

 white oval mark on the forehead, and a white mark occupying the space be- 

 tween the eyes and the ears ; the under surface and limbs are wholly black. 

 The diversity which takes place in the stripes among individuals all called 

 zorille, has led to the belief of there being several different species. In the 

 Cape zorille, the tail, which is furnished with long hairs, is carried erect, and 

 the hair spread so as to form a plume. 



We add a representation of the teeth of a species established by M. TEKTI , OK MUSTEI.A I-ATA- 

 d'Orbigny, Mustda Patagonica. GOSH -A. 



The species of another genus of the family Muatelidce, known by the common name of Otters, 

 remain to be considered. In the British Islands we have but one species. But the numbers of thu 

 genus are very numerous, and spread respectively over every quarter of the globe ; nor are all confined 

 to fresh waters ; on the contrary, some are fishers in the sea, and take up their abode, like seals, in 

 the crevices of rocks on the shore. Of these we may instance a native* of the polar regions. 



THE SEA OTTEB.t 



THE length of this animal is generally about four feet, of which the tail occupies thirteen inches. The 

 fur is extremely soft, and of a deep glossy black. The ears are small and erect, and the whiskers long 

 and white. The legs are short and thick, the hinder ones somewhat resembling those of a seal. 

 The weight of the largest Sea Otters is from seventy to eighty pounds. 



They are perfectly harmless in their general habits of life, and to their offspring they are very 

 strongly attached. They will never desert them ; will even starve themselves to death on being 

 robbed of them, and strive to breathe their last on the very spot where they have been destroyed. 

 The female produces only a single young one at a time ; this she suckles almost a whole year, and till 

 it takes to itself a mate. The sea otters often carry their young between their teeth, and fondle 

 them, frequently throwing them up and catching them again in their paws. Before these can swim, 

 the old ones will take them in their fore feet, and swim about with them on their backs. 



The sea otters swim sometimes on their sides, at others on their backs, or in an upright position. 

 They are very sportive, and, apparently, extremely affectionate. When attacked, they make no resist- 

 ance, but seek safety in flight ; if, however, they are closely pressed, and can see no way of escape, they 

 .scold and grin like an angry cat. On receiving a blow, they immediately lie on their side, draw up 

 their hind legs together, cover their eyes with their fore paws, and thus seem to prepare for death. 

 But only let them escape their pursuer, and very diverting tricks do they play at one time keeping 

 themselves on end in the water, and jumping over the waves, holding the fore paw over the eyes as if 

 to shade them from the sun while looking out for the foe, throwing their young down into the water, 

 and fetching them up again. In their escape, they carry their offspring in their mouths, and drive 

 before them those that are full grown. 



The sea otter haunts sea- washed rocks, lives mostly in the water, and approximates to the seals 

 more than to the otters in its habits. Its food is fish. It is found in the North Pacific, from Kams- 

 chatka to the Yellow Sea, ou the Asiatic side, and from Alaska to California, on the American coast. 



The fur was at one time eagerly sought after, and ia still prized, but not so much as formerly. 

 Pallas states that the old and middle-aged sea otter skins were sold at Kiachta by the Russians to the 



* Lutra stelleri. f Lutra marina. Shaw. Mustela lutris. Linnaeus. 



