210 Habitat of Lutra nair. Chapt. xv. 



"is found throughout all India, from the extreme South 

 "and Ceylon, to the foot of the Himalayas, and from 

 "the Indus 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 parties 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 sun- 

 "set. I have seen a party out in the sea, on the Malabar 



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

 "one time I was strongly inclined to believe them distinct. Myimpres- 

 "sion 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 yellowish-brown, and with the two colours much more 

 "distinctly divided; in fact more resembling Lutra vulgaris ; but in the 

 ''absence of authentic specimens, 1 can only draw the attention of ob- 

 servers for future verification.'' 



In my humble opinion there is yet another otter, common on the 

 West-Coast of India, which does not seem to have come under Jerdon's 

 eye. It is found both within tidal limits, and high up the rivers at the 

 base of the Ghats. It differs from L. nair in being shorter in the neck, 

 rounder in the head, broader and flatter and stronger in the tail, and 

 generally more thickly set and more powerfully limbed, the colour more- 

 over is a uniform ash colour both above and below, and the fur is closer 

 and, if I remember rightly, the eyes are smaller. I write however from 

 recent memory having lately sent away my only adult specimen to one 

 much more capable of describing it accurately. I have however re- 

 served to myself the pleasure of observing the habits of the young of 

 two kinds which I have preserved and am bringing up tame. 



