70 OTTER. Clafs t 



He compares its form to that of a wolf, and fays, it 

 feeds rather on fifli than fheep. That circumftance 

 alone makes it probable, that Sibbaldh animal was in 

 tended, it being well known, the otter declines flefh 

 when it can get filh. Little ftrefs ought to be laid 

 on the name, or comparifon of it to i wolf; this variety- 

 being of a fize fo fuperior to the common, and 

 its hair fo much more fhaggy, a common obferver 

 might readily catch the idea of the more terrible 

 beaft, and adapt his comparifon to it. 



Beavers, which are alfo amphibious animals, were 

 formerly found in Great Britain ; but the breed ha$ 

 been extirpated many ages ago ; the lateft accounts 

 we have of them, is in Giraldtis Cambrenjis *, who 

 travelled through PFales m 1188: he gives a brief 

 hiftory of their manners-, and adds, that in his time 

 they were found only in the river Teivi-^ two or three 

 lakes in that principality, ftill bear the name of Llyn 

 yr afangc -f, cr the beaver lake ; which is a further 

 proof, that thefe animals were found in different parts 

 of it. But we imagine they muit have been very 

 fcarce even in earlier times ; for by the laws of Hoel 

 dda, the price of a beaver's fkin {Croeti Lloftlyda-n f) 

 was fixed at one hundred and twenty pence, a great 

 fum in thofe days. 



* GiraU. Carnb. liin. 178, 175, -}• Raii Jyn. quad. 2 1 3. 



X Llojilydaji, that is, the broad tailed animal. Leges Wallkai, 

 ■zb\. 



Genu^ 



