26 



six or seven, nine being the largest and three the least num- 

 ber I have met with in a litter. 



Lutra canadensis (Sc/weber). Northeastekx Ottee. 



DeKay in 1812 writes of the Otter as extinct on Long 

 Island at that time. There is hi the collection of the Long 

 Island Historical Society a fine mounted specimen, presented 

 by the late William J. Weeks of Yaphank. It was killed 

 by George Albin of Bay shore and there is no data to 

 indicate when it was taken, but it must have been some time 

 prior to the year 1880, as it was hi the collection at that time. 

 There was a specimen taken near Yaphank, somewhere about 

 the year 1875, and possibly this may be the specimen now 

 owned by the Society. 



Mr. A. B. Gerard of Brook Haven, Long Island, kindly 

 writes me, " The last Otter killed hi this section was in Car- 

 mans River by Edward Bartran, station agent at Brook 

 Haven in 1898. The one before that by George Albin of 

 Bay shore and sold to Wm. J. Weeks of Yaphank and pre- 

 sented by Mr. Weeks to the Long Island Historical Society." 



I was very much surprised to learn of the recent capture of 

 Otters on Long Island. During the latter part of the 

 winter of 1900-1901, Mr. J. Harrison Hulse of Calvert on, 

 caught a large Otter in the river near there and I am 

 informed that evidence of the presence of others has been 

 noticed since the one mentioned was caught. Recently in 

 the "Port Jefferson Times," appeared an item reporting 

 the capture of an Otter at Patchague stating that Mr. Edwin 

 Bailey, Jr., had purchased the animal and was havhig it 

 mounted. I at once wrote to Mr. Bailey, and he has kindly 

 furnished me with the following details. "The Otter was 

 captured Nov. 29, 1901, by John Gregory of this village, 

 about two miles north of here. It weighed 20 lbs. and 

 measured four feet in length. It is quite black, except the 



