232 THE HONEY BADGER— OTTERS 



thickness and looseness of his skin — is attributed 

 his immunity from the bites of snakes. I do not 

 know whether this may be the case, but my 

 hunters have on several occasions recounted to 

 me most exciting instances fo this creature's 

 triumphs over the most deadly of the African 

 poison snakes — even the justly dreaded mamba. 



Here is another of those forms with which 

 the average hunter is more likely to become 

 acquainted by means of a trap than a rifle. 



The rivers of this part of Africa contain, so 

 far as I am aware, but two kinds of otter — ^the 

 spotted-necked variety and the widely distributed 

 Cape otter. These are found in great numbers in 

 the extensive marshes of which such wide areas 

 south of the Zambezi consist. The smaller ani- 

 mal last mentioned is of a dull, somewhat pale 

 brown, the former being darker in colour and 

 distinguished by the peculiar characteristic neck 

 spots. My friend Mr. H. L. Duff mentions in one 

 of his publications having seen in Nyasaland the 

 skin of an otter of larger size than either of these, 

 and showing a broad patch of silvery grey on the 

 throat and chest. This animal is by no means 

 unknown in the marshes which form the sources 

 of the Mupa and Mungari Rivers, where I have 

 seen them myself in the possession of the 

 natives. It is possible that this may be a new 

 species. 



Otters are night animals, whose curious 

 grunting is perhaps oftener heard than recognised. 

 They live on fish, frogs, and landcrabs, varying 

 this diet occasionally on the appearance of a 



