canadian otter. 89 



The Canadian Otter. 



Lutra Canadensis, Rich. North. Zool. i. 57. Loutre de 

 Canada, Buffon. Common Otter, Pennant. Neeekek, 

 Cree Indians. Capucca, Nootka Sound Indians. 



The otters may be called aquatic weasels^ since they 

 both evince the same ferocity of disposition, are inces- 

 santly hunting small animals, and have the same length 

 and slenderness of body. It was long supposed that 

 the otter of Canada perfectly resembled that of Britain ; 

 but BufFon rightly conjectured that they were distinct; 

 and it now appears that there is a third species, peculiar 

 to the warm latitudes of South America. The manners, 

 indeed, of the Canadian, are almost the same as those of 

 the European otter. It frequents the faUs and rapids 

 of the rivers, to have the advantage of open water ; 

 and when its usual haunts are frozen over, it wiU 

 traverse the snow for a great distance in search of 

 such spots as may not yet be covered with ice. If 

 on these journeys it is seen and pursued, it will 

 throw itself forward on its belly and slide through the 

 snow for several yards, leaving a deep furrow behind it. 

 This movement is repeated with so much rapidity, that 

 even a swift runner on snow shoes has much trouble in 

 overtaking it. It also doubles on its track with much 

 cunning, and dives under the snow to elude its pursuers. 

 When closely pressed, it will turn and defend itself 

 with great obstinacy. In the spring of 1826, at Great 

 Bear Lake, the otters frequently robbed the fishing-nets 

 which were set under the ice at the distance of a few 

 yards from a piece of open water : they generally carried 

 off the heads of the fish, and left the bodies sticking in 

 the net. 



The fur is an important article of commerce, seven 

 or eight thousand skins being annually imported into 

 England by the Hudson's Bay company : it very much 

 resembles that of the beaver, having the same general 

 colour ; and is of the same texture, that is, composed of 

 very fine waved and shining down intermixed with longer 



