THE GREATER OTTER. 



quadrupeds; the neck is fhort, and as thick as the head ; the body long; the 

 tail broad at the infertion, but tapers off to a point at the end ; the legs are 

 remarkably fhort, ftrong, broad, and mufcular. The joints are fo loofely 

 articulated, that the animal is enabled to bend them back, and bring them 

 on a line with the body, fo as to make them perform the office of fins. 

 Each foot is furnilhed with five toes, which are connected by Itrong and 

 broad webs, like thofe of water-fowl. This peculiar conftruction of the legs 

 and feet is admirably well adapted to the purpofe of fwimming; for, by 

 taking fhort ftrokes, they make them oftener and with greater velocity. 



The Otter is a very voracious animal, and well known by the damage 

 it does to fifh-ponds, &c. It is always found by the fides of lakes and 

 rivers, but more particularly the former, as being more commodious for 

 catching its prey; for the bulk of its body giving the current of water greater 

 power of refiftance againft it, than it has againft the fillies, which are the 

 object of its purfuit, if it hunts againft the ftream, it fwims too flow; and if 

 with the ftream, it overflioots its prey. When it fixes its refidence in rivers, 

 it is always obferved to purfue its prey in a direction oppofite to that of the 

 current. It deftroys much more fifti than it devours, and has been known 

 to fpoil a pond in a few nights. But they do the greateft damage to the nets 

 of fiftiermen, which they never fail to gnaw and tear in pieces, if once 

 entangled in them. 



The Otter catches its prey in two very different manners : one is by 

 purfuing it from the bottom upwards; the other is, by hunting it into fome 

 little corner of the pond, and there feizing it. The conformation of its 

 lungs, which are proportionably longer than in moft other quadrupeds, is 

 well adapted to the former mode of purfuit, as it is thereby enabled to 

 continue for a confiderable time under water without inconvenience; and 

 whatever fifti happens then to pafs over the place, becomes, infallibly, its 

 prey ; for, the eyes of fifties being placed fo as not to fee under them, the 

 Otter attacks them by furprife from below, and feizing them by the belly, 

 drags its prey on ftiore, where it often leaves it untouched, to continue the 

 purfuit for hours together. The other method is confined to lakes and ponds,. 



