ORDER CARNASSIER. 315 



rivers in small troops. Occasionally, but not always, it 

 swims with the head above the water ; and by its manners, 

 as well as the noise it makes, seems to be menacing : but 

 it is never known to do harm, even to bathers, in the 

 water inhabited by it. It either digs or takes possession 

 of a hole in the banks. Several females inhabit a single 

 burrow, and bring forth their young together. 



Azara mentions one which was domesticated. It ate fish, 

 meat, bread, cassavas, and other things, though it preferred 

 fish to all other food. It went about the streets, and re- 

 turned of itself to the house, knew its owner's family, and 

 followed them like a dog, though it soon became fatigued 

 by exercise. It knew and answered to its name, and sported 

 with the dogs and cats of the house ; but as it bit severely 

 in playing, no one was often willing to sport with it. It 

 was never known to attack the poultry, or any other ani- 

 mal, except a very young pig, which it would have killed, 

 had it not been rescued. 



The American, or Brazilian Otter, is occasionally met 

 with at a considerable distance from water, when it is sup- 

 posed to be in pursuit of a new domicile. On land, it 

 moves very slowly, and almost on the belly ; runs or gallops 

 very clumsily, and may be easily caught, and held by the 

 skin of the back, in which situation it is not able to offer 

 much resistance. The tail, though very flexible, is gene- 

 rally carried straight. It measures about five feet, from 

 nose to tail. 



The Otter of Canada appears to be distinct from that of 

 Brazil. The latter is much longer, though it does not ex- 

 ceed the girth of the former. The neck of this species is 

 also shorter ; and the tail is compressed from near the base 

 to the end, while that of the Brazilian animal is compressed 

 only near the tip. 



Dr. Horsfield treats the Otter of Java as distinct from 

 the common species, under the name of L. Leptonyx. The 



