172 MAMMALIA. FERiE. Otters. 



times varying to filvery, with- a foft down beneath. The Sea Otter lives moftly in the Tea ; is exceed- 

 ingly harnUefs, and very affectionate of its young ; it runs fwiftly on the land, and fwims with great 

 facility, frequenting fiiallews which abound in fea weeds ; it feeds on lobfters, fifh, Sepiae or Cuttle- 

 fiih, and fhell-fifh ; it breeds once a-year ; the female brings forth but one at a time, which fhe 

 fuckles near a twelvemonth. The ikins are much in requeft, being fold at a very high price to the 

 Chinefe. The trade for this fur at Nootka had lately ahnoft produced a war between Great Britain 

 and Spain. 



333 2. Bra filiatr Otter— 1. jg; M . Lutra brcjilienfs. 



Of a black colour, with, a yellow fpot below the chin; the tail is fiat, naked, and 

 reaches only to the fee'.' 



Lutra nigra, or Black Otter, with a yellow fpot below the chin. Bfifn quad. 202. — Brafilian 

 Otter. Raj. quad, 1S9. Klein, quad. 91. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 227. — Lutra nigricans, or Bhckifh 

 Otter, having a naked flattened tail. Barrere Fr. equin. 155 — Jh T ?-> or Oarigueibeia, of the Brafi-. 

 lians. Marcgr. Braf. 234. Jonft. quad. t. 66. Des Marchais, iii. 306. — Guachi. Gumilla, hift. de 

 l'Orenoque, iii. 239. 



Inhabits Brafil, Guiana, the Oronoko, and other rivers of South America. — Is about the fize of a 

 middling Dog, and weighs from forty to a hundred pounds : The head is round, and refembles that 

 of a Cat, as do the teeth ; the eyes are fmall, round, and black ; ' the muzzle has large whifkers ; the 

 ears are round ; the feet are like thofe of a Monkey, having each live toes, the inner one Shorter than 

 the reft, armed with fliarp claws ; the hair is fhort, foft, and entirely black, except the head, which 

 is dufky, and the throat, which is yellow : It lives on fifli and cruftaceous animals, robbing the fiih- 

 ermen's nets and wears, with great dexterity ; is very fierce, but may be tamed when young ; it bur- 

 rows on the banks of rivers, and lives in fociety, going together in large troops. 



334 3. Saricovienne. — M. Lutra par aguenjis. 



About the fize of a cat ; of a mixed grey and black colour ; and having webbed feet. 

 Saricovienne. Sin. Buff, vii. 321. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 229. 



Inhabits along the Rio de la Plata. — This animal lives more in the water than on land ; the fur is 

 as fine as velvet ; the fleih is reckoned very delicate eating. 



335 4. Chilefe Otter. — M. Lutra ch'iltnfu. 



Has hairy webbed feet j and a long round tail. Molina, hift. nat. Chil. 1. iv. 252. 



Inhabits the coafts of Chili. — Dr Gmelin only mentions this fpecies in a note of his edition of the 

 Syftema Naturae, and feems uncertain whether it ought to be coniidered as an Otter, referhbling the 

 Brafilian fpecies, or as a fpecies of Weafel, allied to the Cat tribe, Mujiela felina : The description of 

 the feet is certainly a fufficient mark of its belonging to the tribe of Otters. 



336 5. Common Orter. — 2. M. Lutra pifcatoria. 2. 



The hind feet are webbed and naked; and the tail is about half the length of the body. 



Muftela 



