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MANNERS. 
OATATVEVR) Crass I. 
rous. Weftward of Carolina*, there are fome found 
of a white color inclining to yellow. 
The otter fwims and dives with great celerity, 
and is very deftructive to fifh: in-rivers it is always 
obferved to fwim againft the ftream, to meet ‘its 
prey. In very hard weather, when its natural fort 
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of food fails, it will kill lambs, fucking pigs, and — 
poultry. It is faid that two otters will in concert — 
hunt that ftrong and active fifh the falmon. One 
{tations itfelf above, the other below the place where 
the fh lies, and continue chafing it inceffantly till the 
falmon quite wearied becomes their prey. To fuppofe 
that they never prey in the fea isa miftake: for they 
have been often feen in it both fwimming and bring- 
ing their booty on fhore, which has been obferved 
in the Orkuies to have been cod, and congers. Its 
flefh is exceffively rank and fifhy. The Romifh 
church permits the ufe of it on maigre-days. In 
the kitchen of the Carthufian convent near Dijon, we 
faw one preparing for the dinner of the religious of 
that rigid order, who, by their rules, are prohibit- 
ed during their whole lives, the eating of flefh. 
It thews great fagacity in forming its habitation: 
it burrows under ground on the banks of fome ri- 
ver or lake; and always makes the entrance of its 
hole under water; works upwards to the furface of © 
the earth, and forms before it reaches the top, fe- 
yeral bolts, or lodges, that in cafe of high floods, 
* Lowfie's Bip, Card. 119. 
ig 
