therefore they are caught v/ith difficulty 5 for, 
though ever fo young, they fwim with great rapidity, 
- and in fuch a manner that no part of them is feen 
above water except the tip of the nofe. It is only 
in the abfence of the parent Otter that they can 
be eafily talcen; and, in fome places, dogs are 
trained purpofelv for difcovering their retreats. 
Whenever the dog comes to the place, he foon 
difcovers by his barking that Otters are there; 
and, if the old one be in company, flie inftantly 
plunges into the water, and is followed by all her 
offspring: but, if the dam be abfent, the young 
ones continue as it were panic-ftruck, and unable 
to venture forth without her guidance and pro- 
tection. In this cafe they are eafily fecured by 
the hunters, who carry them home alive, and care- 
fully feed them with fii-iall fifh and water. In pro- 
portion, however, as they gather ftrength, milk is 
mixed with their food; the quantity of fifla is re- 
trenched, and that of vegetables increafed; till at 
length they are wholly fed on bread, which per- 
fe£lly agrees with their conftitution. The mode 
of training them up to hunt for fifli requires not 
only affiduity, but patience: however, their afti- 
vity and ufe, when perfectly inftrufted, amply 
compenfate for the trouble of teaching them; and 
perhaps no other animal is more ferviceable to 
it's mafter. The ufual way is, firft to learn them 
to fetch and carry, after the manner of dogs; but, 
as they are not naturally poffefled of the fame do- 
cility, fo more art and experience are requifite to 
teach them. They are generally accuftomed to 
take a leathern trufs ftuifed with wool, of the 
iliape of a fifli, in their mouths; to drop it at the 
word of command ; to run after it when thrown 
forwards; and then to bring it to their mafters. 
From this they proceed to real fifh, which are 
thrown dead into the water, and the Otters are 
taught to fetch them from thence. From dead they 
proceed to live fifh; till at laft the animals are 
perfectly inftrufted in the whole art of fifliing. 
An Otter, thus qualified, is reckoned very valua- 
ble; as it will catch fifh not only fufEcient to fu- 
■ ftain itfelf, but a whole flimily. 
This creature inhabits all parts of Europe; the 
north and north-eaft of Afia; and abounds in North 
America, particularly in Canada. 
Otter, Lesser; the Muftela Lutreola of Lin- 
nffius. This animal is about three times as fm.all 
as the common Otter, though refembling it in 
fliape. It has roundifh ears; a white chin; and a 
hoary head, though the hair of Ibme is tawny. 
The body is tawny and duflcy, the fhort hair be- 
ing yellowifli, and the long hair black; the tail is 
alio dufl<;y, and terminates in a point; and the feet 
are broad, webbed, and covered with hair. 
This fpecies, which is a native of Poland, and 
the north of Europe, lives on fifli, frogs, and wa- 
ter-infefts ; and it's fur is highly efteemed, being 
next in beauty to that of the fable. 
According to Lawfon, this creature, which is 
the fame as the American minx, is a great enemy 
to tortoifes, fcraping their eggs out of the fands, 
and devouring them. It alfo eats frefli-water muf- 
cles, the fliells of which are found in great abun- 
dance at the mouth of it's hole, high up in the 
rivers, on the margins of which it lives. When 
domeflicated, it is a great deftroyer of rats and 
mice; but it's fmell is very difagreeable. 
Otter, Brazilian; the Lutra Brazilienfis of 
Ray. This animal has a round head, like that of 
a cat; feline teeth; fmall, round, black eyes; 
O T T 
large whifl<ers; and round ears. The feet arcf 
formed like thofe of a monkey with five toes; the 
claws are fharp; and the tail, which is flat and 
naked, reaches no lower than the feet. The hair 
is' foft, fliort, and entirely black, except on the 
head, where it is duflcy; and on the throat, where 
it is yellow. It grows to the fize of a common 
dog; and weighs about forty or fifty pounds. In 
is a native of Brazil, Guiana, and the borders of 
the Oroonoko. Marcgrave fays, that it is an am- 
phibious animal; that it lives on fifh and crufta- 
ceous animals; and is very dextrous in plundering 
the nets and v^'eels of what are inclofed in them. 
It's flefh is efleemed delicate food; being abfo- 
lutely free from any fifliy tafte, notwithftanding 
it's food. 
Otter, Cayenne; the Petite Loutre D'Eau 
Douce de Cayenne of Buffon. This fpecies is 
only feven inches long from the tip of the nofe to 
the extremity of the body. The tail, like that of 
the water-rat, is dcfbitute of hair; it's length is 
about fix inches; the tip is white; and the reft is 
brown, covered throughout with a rough granu- 
lated fkin like fhagreen. The whifl<:ers, and the 
long hairs under the eyes, are about an inch long. 
All the under-part of the belly and the head are 
marked with large brownifh black fpots; and the 
intervals are of a yellowifh grey colour: the black 
fpots correfpond on each fide of the body; and 
there is a white fpot above each eye. The ears 
are large ; the feet are fhort; the fore ones have five 
unconncfted toes; and the hind ones the fame 
number connecfled with membranes 
Otter, Sea; the Muflela Lutris of Linnseus. 
The upper jaw of this animal is longer and broader 
than the lower; it has a black nofe, and long 
white whifl<;ers; the ears are fmall, ereft, and co- 
nic; in each jaw there are four cutting-teeth; and 
the grinders are broad, and adapted for breaking 
cruftaceous animals and fhell-fifh. The hair is 
thick, long, black, and glofTy; beneath which 
there is a foft down. The legs are thick and 
fliort; and the toes are covered with hair, and 
united by a web. The hind feet refemble thofe 
of a feal, and have a membrane fkirting the out- 
fide of the exterior toe, like that of a goofe. The 
body is about four feet two inches long from the 
nofe to the infertion of the tail; and the tail, 
which is flat and fharp-pointed, is about two in- 
ches. One of thefe animals fometimes weighs 
from feventy to eighty pounds. 
Sea-Otters are very numerous on the coafls of 
Kamtfchatka ; and in thofe iflands and parts of 
America oppofite to it, which were originally 
difcovered by the RufTians: they are alfo found in 
the Brazilian rivers, and in that of Oroonoko. 
They are extremely inof?enfive; and fo remarka- 
bly affeilionate to their young, that they will fre- 
quently pine to death for the lofs of them on the 
very fpot where they have been deprived of them. 
Before their young are capable of fwimming, the 
old Otters carry them in their paws, lying in the 
water on their backs. They are very fportive; 
and chiefiy inhabit thofe fhallows where plenty of 
fea- weeds are to be found. They feed on lobflers 
and other fifli; breed once a year; and bring 
forth one at a time, which they depofit on the 
fhore. 
The fkins of thefe animals are exceedingly va- 
luable; and, according to the late Captain King, 
a trade of this kind would be one of the moft lu- 
crative that could poiTibly be undertaken. In the 
Alentian 
