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 lower 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 
* Proceediugs Eoyal Physical Society, vol. ii. p. 157. 
