239 
OTTER. 
land, and preys on lambs and poultry : fometimes 
breeds in finks and drains •, brings four or five 
young at a time : hunts its prey againfl the flream 
frequents not only frefh waters, but fometimes preys 
in the fea; but not remote from fhore : is a fierce 
animal $ its bite hard and dangerous: is capable 
of being tamed, to follow its mailer like a dog, 
and even to fifli for him, and return with its prey. 
The Latax of Arijiotle * j poflibly a large variety 
of otter 
Noefza Agricola An. Subter. 485. palmatis, hirfutis ore albo. Lin. Lesser*. 
Gefner quad. 768. fyjl. 66. Fennis , Tichurt; Suecis , 
Latax ; Germ. Nurtz. nobis Nu- Mcenk. Faun.fuec. No. 13. 
rek Rzaczinjii Polon. 218. Norka Ritchkoff orenb. Fopogr. I* 
Muftela Lutreola. M. plantis 295. 
O. with roundifh ears : white chin : top of the head, 
hoary; in fome tawny: body tawny and dufky; 
the fhort hairs being yellowifh; the long hairs 
black: the feet broad, webbed and covered with 
hair: tail dufky, and ends in a point: of the 
form of an otter, but thrice as fmalh 
% Hiji. An. lib. viii. c. 5. vide Br. Zool. I. 6g. 
** Mr. Banks , on his return from Newfoundland , was fo obliging, 
as to communicate to me the following account of fome animals 
fecn by a gentleman who went on that voyage, which I take the 
liberty of inferting here, as they bear fome relation to the Otter in 
their way of life* He obferved, fitting on a rock, near the mouth 
of a river, five animals, fhaped like Italian grehounds, bigger than 
a fox, of a fhining black color, with long legs, and long taper tail. 
They often leaped into the water and brought up trouts, which 
they gave to their young which were fitting with them. On his 
appearing, they all toke to the water, and fwam a little way from 
Ihore, kept their heads out of the water, and looked at him. An 
old Furrier faid, that he remembered the Ikin of one fold for five 
guineas; and that the French often fee them in Hare Bay. 
Inhabits 
