162 
CARNIVORA. 
other animal, except a very young pig, which it 
would have killed, had it not been rescued. 
The American or Brazilian otter is occasionally 
met with at a considerable distance from water, 
when it is supposed to be in pursuit of a new do- 
micile. On land it moves very slowly, and almost 
on the belly; runs or gallops very clumsily, and 
may be easily caught, and held by the skin of the 
back, in which situation it is not able to offer much 
resistance. The tail, though very flexible, is ge- 
nerally carried straight. The specimen, figured from 
Major Smith, was five feet three inches long from 
the nose to the end of the tail. 
