196 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [Apr. 2, 
ETHIOPIAN OTTERS. 
The Otters of the African Region present no difficulty whatever as 
to their definition. Two species only are known, the large clawless 
one of South and West Africa, and the smaller clawed LZ. maculicollis. 
Of the three early names for the former species authors have, as 
usual, carefully avoided the one that has priority, although constantly 
putting it down as a synonym, and have divided their attentions 
between * L. inunguis” and “ L. lalandii.” 
The following appears to be the proper synonymy of the two 
species :— 
1. LuTrA CAPENSIS. 
L. capensis, Schinz, Cuv. Thierr. i. p. 214 (1821). 
L. inunguis, F. Cuv. Dict. Sci. Nat. xxvii. p. 247 (1823). 
Aonyx delalandi, Less. Man. Mamm. p. 157 (1827). 
Lutra poensis, Waterh.' P. Z. 8. 1838, p. 60. 
Anahyster calabaricus, Murr. P. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb. ii. 
p: 158 (1860). 
Lutra lenoiri, Rochebr. Vertébr. Nov. Afr. Occ. sér. 3, p. 9, 
1888(?). (Privately printed, and probably not really published at al 
in the technical sense of the word.) 
2. LuTRA MACULICOLLIS. 
Lutra maculicollis, Licht. Arch. f. Nat. 1835, i. p. 89, pl. ii. fig. 1 
(animal). 
Lutra grayi, Verv. apud Gray (never described). 
Hydrogale maculicollis, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1865, p. 132. 
AMERICAN OTTERS. 
It is due to the want of material and other difficulties in connec- 
tion with the American, and especially the South-American, Otters, 
that the present paper is necessarily only a preliminary account of 
the genus, and not acomplete monograph. But I may be permitted 
to express a hope that collectors and others having opportunities of 
obtaining Otters from the tropical parts of South America will aid in 
the future revision of the genus by contributing to our National 
Collection any specimens that they may be able to procure. 
Although, therefore, I am unable to work out the New-World 
Otters completely, the following points at least seem to be fairly 
clear, and may be of service to future workers on the subject, 
As to the common North-American Otter nothing but a passing 
reference is necessary, as its synonymy and characteristics have been 
fully worked out and described by Dr. Elliott Coues*. It may be 
1 This name probably belongs here, but the typical skin, being without feet 
or skull, it is impossible to be quite certain until further specimens are obtained 
from the same locality. The same may be said of “ Lutra lenoiri” on account 
of the absence, as usual, of all diagnostic characters in what its describer calls 
a “ diagnosis.” 
2 Fur-bearing Animals, p. 295 (1877). 
