Clafs L -O T T E -R. 69 



jearth, and there makes a minute orifice for the ad- 

 miffion of air : it is further obferved, that this animal, 

 the more effedtually to conceal its retreat, contrives to 

 make even this little air hole in the middle of fome 

 thick bu(h. 



The otter brings four or five young at a time : as 

 it frequents ponds near gentlemen's houfes, there 

 have been inftances of litters being found in cellars, 

 fmks, and other drains. 



Sir Robert Sibhald^ in his hiitory of Fife^ p. 49., 

 mentions a Sea Otter^ which he fays differs from the 

 common fort, in being larger, and having a rougher 

 coat ; but probably it does not differ fpecifically from 

 the kind that frequents frefh waters. Did not Arijiotle 

 place his Latax * among the animals which feek 

 their food among frefh waters, we fiiould imagine 

 we had here recovered this loft animal, which he men- 

 tions |immediately after the otter, and defcribes'as 

 being broader. Though this muft remain a doubt, 

 we may with greater confidence fuppofe the fea otter 

 to be the Loup marin of Bekit ^, which from a hear- 

 fay account, he fays, is found on the Englijh coafts: 



'^•fisa.moi, .60 t7iv T£ -^uT^eiAsytii; xacroipt 'tj To aa^ipiov y^ To uaiv^iov, 



s-HifA.Kt, Tot? o6iicriov. occKiBi OB T«? U'j&guj's'iii; 1^ h t>'y(5'^t5, xj ey. a(p(J)a(*, u<; 

 J^tynai, ^ep/^tj av oaa -^0(^011 ay.acrh- to d's rgt^w^o. t^a vi 7\«ilx^ ay.?^r,^Qy, 

 f^ TO iid'o? jucsTai|y ra Tri; (pun'/iq T§jp(jwfA«iIoj, >c^ ra tjjj i'Ka<pii. Arijloi, 



Hiji. Anim- p. 505. A. 



Sunt etiam in hoc genere (fc, animalium quadrupedum qu^e 'vi8iim ex 

 lacubus et fiwviis petunt ) fiber , fatherium, fatyrium^ lutrh, latax, qucs 

 ■latior lutre eji, dentefque habet robufios, quippe quts nodu \bleruT7ique agre- 

 diens, 'virguUa proxima fuis dentibus, ut ferro preecidat, Lutris eiia?n 

 ^hominem mcrdet,nec dejijlit (utferunt) nififraSi ojfis crepitum fenfe- 

 ^rit. Lataci pilus durus,fpecie inter piluni 'vituli tficn'ini (t cer-vi- 

 -f fieionde laMatun.des Poi/ons, p. 28, pi, 29. 



