Notes on a Young Otter from Old Calabar. 35 



to the point of the tail. The head is about 3J inches in 

 length ; from back part of head to the root of the tail, 

 8 inches ; and from root to point of tail 5J inches. The 

 muzzle measures 3 inches across the face, at the back part of 

 mouth and in front of the eyes. The eyes are distant three- 

 quarters of an inch from the back part of nostrils ; and from 

 the same part of nostril to front of ear it measures 2 inches. 

 The opening of the eyelid is little more than a quarter of an 

 inch in length. The short and rounded ears measure nearly 

 half an inch from above downwards, and also from before 

 backwards — the top of the ear being on a line with, or only 

 very slightly below, the level of the eyes. 



The only teeth yet developed in the jaws are six incissors 

 and two canines in the upper jaw, and apparently four small 

 incissors and two canines in the lower. Beyond the canines 

 of the upper jaw, there is a large projection of the gum on 

 each side, indicating a prominent molar tooth ; and a corre- 

 sponding but much less prominent projection also occurs 

 on each side of the low r er jaw. The tongue is comparatively 

 smooth on the upper surface, but is covered with elongated 

 papillae on the outer and under part of its edge. 



The feet are large and rounded, the toes being webbed 

 nearly to the beginning of the distal phalanges ; the third 

 toe (counting from the inside of foot) is the longest in each 

 foot, and the fourth is nearly equal in length ; the second 

 toe being slightly longer than the fifth or outer toe. All 

 the toes of both feet have small but distinct sharp-pointed 

 hooked nails or claws. The feet are thinly covered with short 

 light-coloured hair, and their under surface is free from hair. 



Our highly valued member and friend, Mr Andrew 

 Murray, now resident in London, some time ago got a skull 

 of an adult otter sent him from Old Calabar by Mr Thomson ; 

 and in his notes of the various animals found at Old Cala- 

 bar, published in the Proceedings of this Society for I860,* 

 he states its dentition differs from that of the common otter, 

 Lutra vulgaris, in having one fewer premolar in the upper 

 jaw. Mr Murray had submitted the skull to " Professor 

 Owen, who considered it nondescript, and that it approaches 



* Proceedings Koyal Physical Society, vol. ii. p. 157. 



