150 MAMMALS OF UTAH 



Subfamily LUTRINAE 



MEXICAN OTTER 



LUTRA CANADENSIS SONORA (Rhoads) 



Lutra hudsonica sonora Rhoads, Trans. Am. Philos; Soc, N. S. 



XIX, 1898, p. 431. 

 Lutra canadensis sonora Elliot, Syn. N. Am. Mamm., F. C. M. 



Pub., II, 1901, p. 353. Zool. Ser. 



Description — The genus lutra comprises weas'els of 

 large size, with short legs, long tails ; adapted for life in the 

 water, having dense oily fur, webbed feet. The muskrat is 

 protected against the cold water by a fine robe of dense 

 fur; the whale by a thick layer of fat under the skin; the 

 otter is happy in the possession of both, and can enjoy the 

 coldest water in the coldest of weather. The length of the 

 typical canadensis is about forty inches, though sonora is a 

 larger and more yellowish form. (Seton.) The typical 

 canadensis is described as follows: In general the color 

 is dark rich glossy brown, becoming paler and grayer be- 

 low; the brown of the head and muzzle changes on lips, 

 cheeks, chin and throat rather abruptly, into a pale brown- 

 ish gray, almost a grayish white. (Seton.) 



Distribution — If one may judge the number of streams 

 in Utah named after the otter such as those in the Fish 

 Lake district, the original distribution of this animal in- 

 cluded the entire eastern half of the state. This is verified 

 from Seton's map ; and his maps generally have been found 

 by the author to be surprisingly accurate so far as the 

 distribution of mammals in this state are concerned despite 

 the fact that his work takes Manitoba as a basis. This 

 animal is, however, quite rare ; and specimens are not avail- 

 able to prove just which form inhabits the Wasatch and 

 Uintah districts. It may be found later that the typical 

 canadensis is represented in the Cache national forest. 

 Gerald Thome of Logan informs me that otters are occas- 

 ionally taken along Green river, especially in the Split 

 Mountain canyon and canyons above. He mounted two 

 skins trapped by Nathaniel Galloway about six miles above 

 Jensen, Utah, near the mouth of Split Mountain canyon. 

 At Indian dances in the Uintah district he has often seen 

 otter skins worn and their owners said that they caught 

 them at the headwaters of the Uintah and Duchesne rivers. 



Habits — The otter spends its life near clear, cold, trout^ 

 favored streams, searching, even in winter, for those rapids 

 and falls where the ice does not cover the stream. The 



