THE ZooLoGisT—APRIL, 1875. 4389 
Notes on the Natural History of South Africa. 
By R. B. and J. D. S. Woopwarp, of Natal. 
(Continued from §. S. 4357.) 
Otter (Lutra capensis).—The Cape otter is considerably larger 
than the European species: its fur is beautifully soft and of a velvet 
smoothness, reddish brown on the back, turning into gray on the 
head; the under parts are white. 
There are several pairs of otters on the Ifafa, and they are to be 
found in most of the other rivers of this country. They are not 
often seen, owing to their nocturnal and retiring habits; -but by 
watching their haunts of an evening we have seen them emerge 
from the scrub and plunge into their favourite element, in search 
of mullet, barbel, and eels, which abound in these streams. They 
are very tenacious of life, and although we have wounded many 
we have never been able to secure them, as, however hard they may 
be hit, they always manage to dive, and so effect their escape. If 
otter hounds were introduced into this country they would no doubt 
afford good sport. 
On the 5th of August, 1874, we caught a fine specimen of the 
Cape otter in a large steel trap set on one of their runs on the 
banks of this river. The animal measured four feet three inches 
in length, and weighed thirty-five pounds: it was dead when found, 
but had struggled a great deal, and had dragged the trap, although 
a very heavy one, some distance, and had bitten a strong pole 
to which it was attached. Some of our Kafirs ate the flesh, which 
they seemed to enjoy, but most of them considered it unfit for food : 
on tasting it we found it to have a coarse tough fibre, with very 
little flavour of any kind, but not rank. The inside of the skin was 
covered with a thick layer of oily fat, but we managed to cure it by 
first drying it in the sun, and afterwards handing it over to the 
natives to undergo a process called “braying,” which is nothing 
more than scrubbing it well with pieces of sandstone until it 
becomes soft and pliable. Prepared in this way skins will keep 
for many years. The feet of the otter are very large in proportion 
to the size of the body, and the spoor is often mistaken for that of 
the leopard. 
Snakes, Puff-Adders, Grass-Snakes and Water-Snakes.—The 
puff-adder (Clotho arietina) is very widely distributed throughout 
the whole of South Africa, and is found as far north as Egypt. 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. X. R 
