ON THE GENUS LUTRA. 



155 



upon as seats, or places of retirement, if at any time the rising of 

 the water should overflow the basement. Some such provision 

 for accidents was without doubt had in view in the construction 

 of these lowly arched niches, which certainly afforded more room 



Figure 4. 



L. Canadensis ; top view of skull three-fourths natural size. 



to the family. Being scarcely acquainted with the Cree language 

 at that period, I could riot interrogate the hunters closely ; but after 

 they had surveyed the surrounding locality, and examined the 



Figure 5. 

 L. Canadensis ; side view of skull three-fourths natural size. 



lodge, they gave it as their opinion that an otter had been there 

 to spoil their sport and destroy the beaver. 



In 1835 I first began to make particular enquiry regarding the 

 destruction of beaver by otters. This was on the Albany river, and 

 the Indian interrogated was an elderly man, not one of the best 

 of characters, but he had always been most friendly to me, and 



