The Smaller Carnivora 



127 



backwards and fonvards. When thus hangint,r, it W(juld l.iring 

 its fore paws to the bars, as well as the hind pair, and in 

 this manner would tra\'el up and down its cage witli the 

 utmost address, every now and then tlinisting out its long 

 tongue between the wires, as if in quest of food, whicli, when 

 offered to it, it would endeavour to draw in lietween the 

 wires with this organ. It was very fond of being gently 

 stroked and scratched, and when at play with any one it 

 knew it would pretend to bite, seizing tlie hand or fingers 

 with its teeth, as a dog will do when jjlayiiig with its 

 master. As the evening came on, it was full of animation, 

 and exhibited in every movement the most surprising energy." 



THE OTTERS. 



As the badgers and ratels seem specially adapted to 



an underground and cave-making existence, so the Otieks 



all conform in structure to an aquatic life ; yet, excejit the 



w'ebbing of the space between the toes and the shortening 



and flattening of the head, there is very little obvious cliange 



in their structure to meet the \'ery great difference in the 



conditions under whicli they live. 



The 8iiOi{T-roED Oiter is a stnall Indian species. It 



has nails on its hands in place of claws. (_)ne kept at the 



Zoo was a nrost amusing and friendly little jiet, whicli let 



itself be nursed like a kitten. 



The North American (Jtter has the saine habits as the 



English kind, hut is somewhat larger, and has a far finer coat. 



It is trapped in thousands, and the fur sent over to this country to the Ilud.son Bay Company's 



and Sir Charles Lampson's fur-sales. These otters, like all their family, are very fond of playing. 



One of their regular games is to make a snow-slide or an ice- slide down a frozen waterfall. 



The aligliting-})lace from this 

 chute is, if possiljle, in the 

 water. There the trapper 

 sets his traps, and the poor 

 otters are caught. 



The CoM.MON Otter is far 

 tlie most attractive of the 

 I'ritish carni\(ira. It is still 

 fairly common all over Britain 

 where fisli exist. It is found 

 on the Norfolk broads and 

 rivers, all up the Thames, 

 in Scotland, Devonshire, Wales, 

 Cumberland, and Northumber- 

 land. It travels considerable 

 distances from river to ri\er, 

 and sometimes gets into a 

 preserved trout-pool or 

 £i, pcrmissioH of Pcraj Lcigk Pimbertop, Esq. .breediug-poncl, and docs mucli 



YOUNG OTTEKs. mischief. The beautiful 



otters when taken young, can l:i6 trained to catch fish for their o\Yners. Jn India several tribes , ^ , 



employ them fur this purpose. youiig otteiri here tiguied are 



I'hoio hii Scholastic riioto. Co., Parsoa'i Gretii. 



KINKAJOU. 



The kinkajou eats "birds and eggs as well as 

 honey and fruit. One kept in South Aniericii 

 killed a whole bruod of tnikeys, aud was partial to 

 hirds' eggs. 



