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QUADRUPEDS. Clafs I. ] 
GENUS X. 
SPECIES I. 
The otter. Raii fin. quad. 187. 
Grezv's muf. 16. 
Morton Northampt. 444. 
Sib. Scot. 10. 
Gefner quad. 687. 
Lutra caftanei coloris. Brijfion 
quad. 277. 
The O T T E R. 
The OTTER. 
Buffon. Torn.']. 134. Tab. 11. 
Muftela lutra. Lin. fifit. 45. 
Pont op. Norzv. 2. 27. 
Lutra digitis omnibus sequalibus. 
Faun.fiuec. 10. 
Lodria. Lontra 
NAMES 
German , Otter. Filch Otter 
Dutch, Otter 
Britijh, Dyfrgi 
French , Lontre 
Italian , Lodra. 
Spanifhy Nuftria 
m H E uifual length of this animal is 
three feet three inches, including 
the tail,which is fixteen inches long. 
The head and nofe are broad and flat, the 
neck Ihort, and equal in thicknefs to the head : 
the body long : the tail broad at the bafe, 
tapers off to a point at the end, and is the 
whole way comprefled horizontally. The 
eyes are very fmall, and placed nearer the 
nofe than is ufual in quadrupeds : the ears 
are extremely Ihort, and their orifice narrow : 
the opening of the mouth is fmall, the lips 
mufcular, and capable of being brought very 
clofe together : the nofe and corners of the 
mouth are furnifhed with very long whilkers ; 
fo that the whole appearance of the otter is 
fomething terrible. The legs are very Ihort, 
but remarkably ftrong, broad and mufcular; 
the joints are articulated fo loofely, that the 
Swedijh. Utter 
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animal is capable of turning them quite back, 
and bringing them on a line with the body, 
fo as to perform the office of fins. Each 
foot is furniffied with five toes, connected 
by ftrong broad webs, like thofe of water 
fowl. Thus nature in every article has had 
attention to the way of life lhe had alloted 
to an animal, whofe food is fiffi; and whole 
haunts muft neceflarily be about waters. 
The color of the otter is entirely a deep 
brown, except two fmall fpots of white on 
each fide the nofe, and another under the 
chin. The Ikin of this animal is very valu¬ 
able, if killed in the winter; and is greatly 
ufed in cold countries for lining cloaths : but 
in England it is only ufed for covers for 
piftol furniture. The belt furs of this kind 
come from the northern part of Europe. 
The 
l 
