OTTER, Lutra, a genus of quadrupeds of the weasel family (mustelida), differing widely from the rest of the family in their aquatic habits, and in a conformation adapted to these habits, and in sonic respects approaching to that of seals. The body, which is long and flexible, as in the other mastelidte, is considerably flattened; the head is broad and flat; the eyes are small, and furnished with a nictitatihg membrane,. the Cars are very small; the legs are short and powerful; the feet, which have each five toes, are com pletely webbed; the claws are. not retractile; the tail is stout and muscular at its base, long, tapering, and horizontally flattened; the dentition is very similar to that of weasels; six incisors and two canine teeth in each jaw, with five molars on each side in the upper, and five or six in the lower jaw; the teeth are very strong, and the tubercles of the molars very pointed, an evident adaptation for seizing and holding slippery prey. The tongue is rough, hut not so much so as in the weasels. The fur is very smooth, and consists of two kinds of hair—an inner fur very dense and soft, intermixed with longer, courser, and glossy hair. The species are numerous, and are found both in warm and cold cli mates. The CoNtmoN OTTER (h. vulgariN) is a well-known British animal, rarer than it once was in most districts, but still found in almost every part of the British islands, and common also throughout the continent of Europe, and in some parts of Asia. It often attains a weight of 20 to 24 lbs. Its length is fully 2 ft., exclusive of the tail, which is about 16 in. long. The coior is a bright rich brown on the upper parts and the outside of the legs, being the color of the tips of the long halt's, which are gray at the base; the tips of the hairs in the soft inner fur are also brown, the base whitish-gray; the throat, cheeks, breast, belly, and inner parts of the legs are brownish-gray, sometimes whitish, and individuals sometimes, but rarely, occur with whitish spots over the whole body; the whiskers are very thick and strong; the eyes are black. The otter frequents rivers and lakes, inhabiting some hole in their banks, generally choosing one which already exists, and seldom, it' ever, burrowing for itself. It also inhabits the sea-shore in many places, and swims to a considerable distance from the shore in pursuit of prey. Its movements in the water are extremely graceful; it swims with great rapidity in a nearly horizontal position, and turns and dives with wonderful agility. Its prey consists chiefly of fish, and, like the other muxteltdce, it seems to take pleasure in pursuing and killing far more than it can eat; and in this case it daintilyfecds on the choicest part, beginning behind the head of the fish, and leaving the head and often much of the tail part. The otter, however. when fish cannot readily be obtained, satisfies the cravings of hunger with other food, even snails and worms, and attacks small animals of any kind, some times making depredations in places far from any considerahle stream. The otter pro
duces from two to five young ones at a birth. The flesh of the otter has a rank fishy taste, on which account, perhaps, it is sometimes used in the Roman Catholic church, as Ash, by those whose rules forbid them the use of flesh.—Otterhunting has long lx-en prattle( d in Brimin, although now chiefly confined to Wales and Scotland. Hounds of a Int•ii•ular breed—otter preferred for it. The otter defends itself with gnat vigor against assailants. The otter can be easily domesticated, and trained to catch fish for its piaster, In India, tame otters—probably, however, of another Spades to he afterwards noticed—are not unfrequently used both fish, which they bring ashore in their teeth, and for driving shoals of fish into nets.—The fur of the otter is in some request, hat more on the continent of Europe than in Brita i a.—The AMERICAS 0PT•R or CANADA Orrt:» (L. Ca 11 (I e 10'49 isvery like the ha considerably larger. The tail is also shorter, and the fur of the belly is almost of the same shining brown color with that of the back. The species is plentiful in the northern parts of North America. Its skin is a considerable article of commerce, and, after being imported into England, is often exported again to the continent of Europe. It is usually taken by a steel-trap, placed at the month of its burrow. Its habits are very similar to those of the otter of Europe.—The INDIAN OrrEu (L. iVair) has a deep chestnut-colored fur, and vel lo w ish-w h i le spots above the eyes —The BRA zi LIAN OTTER (L. to b.• gregarimis.—Somewhat different from the true otter is the SEA OTTE!: or KA LAN (L.
I. or (jihyrin/ ifitriv), all Milian' twice tile size of the common otter, a native of straits and the neighboring regions, frequenting sea-washed rocks. There are, at least in the adult, only four incisors in the lower jaw, ears are set lower in the head than in the true otters, below, not above, the eyes. The tail is also much shorter. The under teeth are broad, and well adapted for breaking the shells of mollusks and crnstneeans The hind-feet have a membrane skirting the outside of the exterior toes. The sea otter is much valued for its fur, the general hue of which is a rich black, tinged whit brown above, and passing; into lighter colors below. The !wad is sometimes almost white. The skin: of sea oilers were formerly in very great request in China, so that a price of from .1:35 to £,'0 could he for each; hut the attention of European traders and hunters having been directed to them—in consequence chiefly of at passage in Coa•s Voyage:I—they were carried to China in such numbers as greatly to reduce the price.