&6 
OTTER. 
34. COMMON. 
D1 ty QD AD. Ge woe ORY. 
- 
Hift. Quad, N° 226.—Br. Zool. i, N° 19.—Smellie, iv. 232.—Lzv. Mus, 
TTER. With fhort rounded ears: head flat and broad: long 
whifkers: aperture of the mouth fmall: lips very mufcular, de~ 
figned to clofe the mouth firmly while in the action of diving: eyes 
{mall, and placed nearly above the corners of the mouth: neck fhort: 
body long: legs fhort, broad, and thick: five toes on each foot, 
each furnifhed with a {trong membrane or web: tail depreffed, and 
tapering to a point. dag 
The fur fine; of adeep brown color, with exception of a white 
fpot on each fide of the nofe, and another under the chin. 
Thefe animals inhabit as far north as Hudfon’s Bay, Terra di Labra- 
dor, and Canada, and as low fouth as Carolina and Louifiana*; but 
in the latter provinces are very fcarce. ‘The fpecies ceafes farther 
fouth. Law/on fays that they are fometimes found, to the weftward 
of Carolina, of a white color, inclining to yellow. _Thofe of North 
America are larger than the European, and the furs of fuch which in- 
habit the colder parts are very valuable. Their food is commonly 
fifth; but they will alfo attack and devour the Beaver fF. 
They are found again in Kemt/chatka, and in moft parts of northern 
Europe and Afia, but: not on the 4réfic flats: are grown very fcarce 
in Rufia. The Kamt/chatkans ufe their furs to face their garments, or 
to lap round the fkins of Sables, which are preferved better in Otter 
fins than any other way. They ufually hunt them with dogs, in 
time of deep fnow, when the Otters wander too far from the banks of 
rivers f. 
© Lawfon, 119, and Du Pratz, ii..69- + Dobbs, 40. t Hip. Kami. 
HI5, 1166 
The 
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