60 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 
in beauty according to the age of the animal. The young cubs, of a few months old, are 
covered with a long, coarse, white hair, which protects the fine down that lies beneath it. 
The natives often pluck off this coarse hair, when the lower fur appears like velvet, of a 
beautiful brown colour. As they increase in size, the long hair falls off, and the fur becomes 
blackish, but still remains short. When the animal is full grown, it becomes of a jet black, 
and increases in beauty; the fur then thickens, and is thinly sprinkled with white hairs. 
When they are past the age of perfection, and verge towards old age, their skin changes 
into a dark brown, dingy colour, and of course diminishes in value. The skins of those killed 
in the winter are of a more beautiful black, and in every respect more perfect than those 
which are taken in the summer and autumn. The male Otter is beyond all comparison more 
beautiful than the female, and is distinguished by the superior jetty colour, as well as velvety 
appearance of his skin ; whereas the head, throat and belly of the female, are not only covered 
with fur that is white, but which is also of a very coarse texture. The skins in the highest 
estimation are those which have the belly and throat plentifully interspersed with a kind of 
brilliant silver hairs, while the body is covered with a thick black fur, of extreme fineness, 
and a silky gloss*. 
[22.] 1. Canis Lupus, occwwentatis. The American Wolf. 
Grnus. Canis. Linn. 
Missouri Wolf. Lewis and Crank, vol. i. p. 283. 
Canis Lupus. Sapine, Franklin’s Journ., p. 654. SaBine (Carr.), Parry's Voy., Suppl. clxxxv. 
Ricuarpson, Parry’s Second Voy., App., p. 295. 
Wolf. Lyon’s Private Journal, pp. 151, 339, &c. 
The Common Wolves of the Old and New World have been generally 
supposed to be the same species—the Canis lupus of Linneus. The American 
naturalists have, indeed, described some of the northern kinds of Wolf as distinct ; 
but it never seems to have been doubted that a Wolf, possessing all the 
characters of the European Wolf, exists within the limits of the United States. 
* Not having been on the coasts where the Sea Otter is produced, I can add nothing to its history from my own 
observation, and I have preferred taking the description of the fur from one who was engaged in the trade, to extract- 
ing a scientific account of the animal from systematic works, which are in the hands of every naturalist. In the 
narrative of Captain Cook’s voyage, it is mentioned that a young Sea Otter brought on board had six lower incisors. 
Steller, and all succeeding systematic writers, describe it as having six incisors above and four below. Probably two 
of the lower ones drop out before the animal becomes adult. F 
