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CARNIVORA. 161 
l^HE BRAZILIAN OTTER, LE LOUTRE d’aMERIQUE, 
Lutra Braziliensisy 
Is brown, or yellowish, with a throat generally 
white, but sometimes yellow. It is something larger 
than our otter, and is found in the rivers both of 
North and South America. 
This otter appears to be gregarious, inhabiting 
the rivers in small troops. Occasionally, but not 
always, it swims with the head above the water; 
and by its manners, as well as the noise it makes, 
seems to be menacing : but it is never known to do 
harm, even to bathers, in the water inhabited by it. 
It either digs or takes possession of a hole in the 
banks. Several females inhabit a single burrow, 
and bring forth their young together. 
Azara mentions one which was domesticated. It 
ate fish, meat, bread, cassavas, and other things, 
though it preferred fish to all other food. It went 
about the streets, and returned of itself to the house, 
knew its owner’s family, and followed them like a 
dog, though it soon became fatigued by exercise^ 
It knew and answered to its name, and sported with 
the dogs and cats of the house ; but as it bit severely 
in playing, no one was often willing to sport with it. 
It was never known to attack the poultry, or any 
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