202 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



had not been born more than an hour or two when I discovered 

 them. Reckoning from August 12th (the date of the second 

 pairing), the gestation was therefore sixty-one days. We con- 

 stantly heard the cubs squealing ; but nothing was seen of them 

 until the 25th, when I looked at them, and found them to be two 

 in number, measuring about eight inches in length, including the 

 tails, which were about two inches, or perhaps rather more, in 

 length, and which were curved tight round on the abdomen, 

 as in a foetus. They were completely covered with a fine silky 

 coat, very different from the somewhat rough "puppy-coat" they 

 afterwards assume. They were still blind, with the eyes very 

 prominent. Within two hours after I had looked at them the 

 mother removed them to the other bed-box. From this time 

 they were frequently shifted by the mother from one box to the 

 other, often daily, the longest stay in one box being from October 

 28th to November 15th. 



On November 17th, while I was in the act of putting clean 

 straw into the unoccupied bed box, the Otter came out of the 

 other box with one of the cubs in her mouth, and, swimming 

 with it across the tank, came right up to the box I was filling, 

 as if totally unconscious of my presence. On finding that the 

 bed was not ready, she swam back with the cub across the tank ; 

 and, although I left the tank as quickly as possible, she made 

 altogether about six journeys across the tank (which is between 

 thirteen and fourteen feet long), holding the cub by the neck in 

 her mouth, and carrying it most of the way under water. I could 

 not be sure about its eyes, but believe it to have been still blind. 

 It appeared to be then about fifteen inches long, or possibly 

 hardly so much, On the 29th the cubs were about one foot long 

 in head and body, with tails six inches long. Weight probably 

 about two pounds. Eyes open. 



On the night of December 5th one of the cubs first showed 

 ilself, lying with its head hanging out of the box. On the 9th 

 the cubs first came out of their own accord, and went into 

 the water several times (both accidentally and purposely it was 

 supposed) ; the tank being nearly brimfull, they were able to get 

 out without assistance. On the 10th I first saw the mother 

 carry fish into the box to try to tempt the cubs to eat. In the 

 afternoon of the same day the cubs were anxious to come out of 

 the box ; but the mother, hearing the gardeners at work close by, 



