CANADA OTTER. 
3 
We overlooked the opportunity of instituting a careful comparison be- 
tween the skulls and teeth of the European and American Otters, and 
have now no access to specimens of the former. We therefore quote the 
language of Dr. Dekay, whose observations in this respect correspond 
with our recollections of a general comi:)arison made at the Berlin Museum, 
eleven years ago. “ In their dentition the Otters are eminently characterized 
by the enormous dilation of the two posterior cheek teeth in the upper jaw. 
Our species, in this particular, others some variations from the European 
Otter. The penultimate jaw tooth, in our species, has a broad internal 
heel directed obliquely forward, with a deep fissure dividing the surface 
into two rounded and elevated portions ; and the pointed tubercle is broad, 
with a high shoulder posteriorly, and comparatively little elevated. The 
last tubercular tooth subquadrate, nearly as large as the preceding, and its 
greater axis directed obliquely backwards v'ith four or rather six distinct 
elevated points ; but the outer raised margin, which is so conspicuous in 
the European Otter, appears to be indistinct or simply elevated into two 
pointed tubercles, or wanting entirely, in the American.” 
In age, the canine as well as the anterior molars become much worn. 
In a specimen from Carolina, the incisors are worn down to the upper 
surface of the jaw teeth ; in another from Georgia, all the teeth are worn 
down to the gums. A specimen from Canada and another from Texas 
have the teeth very pomted, and the canine projecting beyond the lips. 
These were evidently younger animals. In older specimens we have on 
several occasions found the two anterior jaw teeth entirely wanting, as 
well as some of the incisors, the former appearing to have dropped out at 
about the fourth year. 
COLOUR. 
A specimen from Lower Canada. Moustaches very light brown, many 
being white, those on the sides of the face dingy white ; upper lip and 
chin light grayish brown, a shade darker under the throat ; the long hairs 
covering the fur are in one half of their length from their roots dingy 
white, gradually deepening into brown. The general colour on the 
upper surface is that of a rich dark chesnut brown, a shade lighter 
on the whole of the under surface. Richardsox states : “ The Canada 
Otter may be distinguished from the European species by the fur of 
its belly being of the same shining brown colour with that of the 
back.” In this particular our observations do not correspond with 
those of our distinguished friend. Out of more than a hundred speci- 
mens of American Otters which we have examined, many of which came 
