210 



CARNIVOEA. 



tion, however, of the cause of the difference of colour does not appear to be sanc- 

 tioned by the condition of the fur in a large series of specimens of L. nair, in all of 

 which there is the distinct indication of a pale, subterminal area which produces the 

 grizzling, whereas the assumption that the absence of grizzling in this other Otter is 

 due to the shedding of the light-coloured area is without any facts to support it ; 

 and the probability is that if Blyth had been aware of the cranial differences which 

 marked these two specimens A and B of his supposed L. nair, the explanation he has 

 offered of the cause of the difference in the colour of the pelage would probably have 

 been modified, if not abandoned. 



This Otter, for reasons hereafter to be stated, appears to attain to a greater size 

 than L. nair. The colour is more rufous umber-brown than L. nair, and does not 

 exhibit any tendency to grizzling, and the under surface is only somewhat hoary, well 

 washed with brownish. The chin and the edge of the lips are whitish, and the silvery 

 hoary on the sides of the head, on the throat, and on the under surface of the neck 

 and on the chest, is marked. The tail, above and below, is concolorous with the trunk. 

 The length of the skeleton of an adult female, measured from the tip of the premaxil- 

 laries to the end of the sacral vertebrae, is 23-25, and the tail measures 17'75 inches. 



The distinctive features of its skull, as compared with the skull of Z. nair, are 

 the considerable swelling of the post-orbital contraction of the frontal, the more 

 arched character of the anterior extremity of the frontals and of the supranasal 

 region, which is flattened in the previous species, the rather shorter muzzle measured 

 from between the post-orbital processes to the extremities of the premaxillaries, the 

 more rotund character of the parietals, the greater depth and breadth of the brain- 

 case, the short and broad post-palatine region with the much outwardly curved 

 processes of the pterygoids, and the large teeth. The accompanying table will 

 illustrate wherein these skulls differ from one another, and as the three specimens 

 measured are about the same age, the table conclusively proves that the skull of the 

 female of this Otter is not only considerably larger than that of the corresponding 

 sex of Z. nair, but that it also exceeds in size the male of that species : 



Inferior margin of foramen magnum to tip of premaxillaries 



Length of palate \ 



Posterior border of palate to inferior margin of premaxillaries 



Greatest breadth of skull, not zygomatic ........ 



„ zygomatic breadth ........... 



Depth of skull between tympanic bullae •.....,. 



„ „ through inferior margin of foramen magnum 



Greatest parietal breadth 



Breadth of post-orbital contraction, posteriorly 



,, „ „ at middle 



„ „ „ anteriorly 



„ between orbits, anteriorly 



Anterior angle of orbit in a straight line to anterior end of nasals . . . . . 



Breadth across alveolar margin of canines 



Length of upper row of teeth, measured in a straight line from anterior surface of first 



incisor to post-border of last molar 



Length of lower ditto ' 



L, nair. 



4,-06 

 1-98 

 207 

 2-30 

 2 55 

 1-30 

 1-35 

 1-80 

 0-62 

 0-62 

 079 

 1-05 

 0-77 

 1-00 



1-65 

 1-75 



L. nair. 



4-20 

 2-07 

 213 

 2-42 

 2-78 

 1-50 

 1-53 

 1-90 

 0-45 

 0-63 

 0-80 

 1-25 

 0'82 

 1-09 



1-80 



1-84 



i. 



monticola 

 or Simung. 



Q 



4-36 

 2-19 

 2-17 

 2-55 

 2 90 

 1-70 

 1-60 

 2-20 

 0-67 

 0-82 

 0-97 

 1-09 

 0-56 

 1-05 



1-88 

 2-00 



