310 
THE STORY OF THE OTTER . 
tender fronds of kelp or sea-weed, and fish. They are not polygamous, and 
more than one individual is seldom seen at a time when out at sea. They 
are playful, it would seem, for I am assured by several old hunters that they 
have watched the sea-otter for half an hour as it lay upon its back in the 
water and tossed a piece of sea-weed up in the air from paw to paw, appar¬ 
ently taking great delight in catching it before it could fall into the water. 
It will also play with its young for hours. The quick hearing and acute smell 
A SEA OTTER. 
possessed by the sea-otter are not equalled by any other creatures in the 
territory. They will take alarm and leave from the. effects of a small fire 
four or five miles to the windward of them; and the footstep of man must 
be washed by many tides before its trace ceases to alarm the animal, and 
drive it from landing. 
The sea-otter is often captured by shooting it in the head with a rifle- 
bullet when the animal is sporting in the surf; the booming of the surf dead¬ 
ening the report of the rifle. 
