ITjTEA NAlE, 87 



white, or reddish-white ; upper lip, sides of head and neck, chin and throat, 

 whitish, the line of separation between the two colors more a less 

 distinctly marked ; in some the throat tinged with orange brown ; paws 

 albescent in some, simply of a lighter shade in others ; tail brown beneath. 

 F. Cuvier, in his description, mentions some pale facial spots, but these 

 are indistinct, though there is sometimes a faint pale eyebrow. 



Total length up to 46 inches, of which the tail is 17, and 3 inches 

 wide at the base. 



I have followed Blyth in joining L. nair and L. indica, though at one 

 time I was strongly inclined to believe them distinct. My impression was 

 that the common otter of most of the rivers of Southern India at all 

 events, was distinct from the generally larger, and more robust otter 

 found in such numbers along the Malabar coast, and in lower Bengal ; and 

 •that the latter, besides being larger, had the fur more reddish or yel- 

 lowish-brown, and with the two colors much more distinctly divided ; in 

 fact more resembling Lutra vulgaris ; but in the absence of authentic spe- 

 cimens, I can only draw the attention of observers for future verification. 



Accepting the synonymy as above then, this otter is found throughout 

 all India, from the extreme South and Ceylon, to the foot of the Hima- 

 layas, and from the Indns to Burmah and Malayana, frequenting alike 

 rivers, and salt water inlets, and from the level of the sea to a considerable 

 elevation. It has its lair under large rocks, among boulders ; and, in alluvial 

 countries, excavates extensive burrows, generally in some elevated spot close 

 to the river, with numerous entrances. It is almost always found in par- 

 ties of five, six, or more, and, though partly nocturnal in its habits, may 

 often be seen hunting after the sun is high, and sometime before sunset. 

 I have seen a party out in the sea, on the Malabar coast, probably making 

 their way from one backwater to another, but as they are very numerous 

 on this coast, they may now and then hunt in the sea. This otter is 

 trained in some parts of Bengal to assist in fishing, by driving the fish into 

 the nets. Young ones are not unusually caught in the fishermen's nets, 

 and are very easily tamed. I had one brought me when very young, 

 whilst at Tellicherry on the Malabar coast, which I brought up with a 

 terrier dog, with whom it became very friendly. This otter would follow 

 me in my walks like a dog, and amuse itself by a few gambols in the 

 water when it had the opportunity, and now and then caught frogs and 

 small fish. As it grew older it took to going about by itself, and one day 

 found its way to the bazar, and seized a large fish from a Moplah. When 



