The daily gazette., 1879-11-28
The otter.

Although by no means large anima
the otter has attained universal repu-
tation as terrible AID persevering foe
to fish. Being possessed Of very dis
crimi nating palate, ard Invariably choos-
ing the finest fish that can be found in
the locality, the otter is the object ofthe
profodndest hate to the proprietors OF
streams and by all human fishermen. 1t
is so dainty an animal that it will fire.
quently kill several fish, devouring only
those portions which best please its pal
ate, and leaving the remainder on the
banks TO become the prey of rats, birds,
Oh other fish-'oving creatures.
For the pursuit of it's finny prey the OF
ter is admirably adapted by nature. Tie
body is 1.-the and serpentine; the feet
are furnished with a broad web that con-
meets the toes, and is of infinite service
in propelling the animal through the
water; the tail is long, broad and fiat,
proving powerful aud efiectual rudder
by which its movements are directed;
and the short,powerful legs are so loose
ly jointed that the animal can turn them
in almost any direction. The hair which
covers the body and limbs is of two
kinds, the one close, fine, and soft fur,
which lies next to the skin and serves to
protect the animal from the extremes of
heat and cold, and the other composed
of long, shining and cCar-er hair, which
permit the animal TO glide easily through
the water. The teeth are sharp and
strong, 6 nd of great service in preventing
the slippery prey from escaping.
The color of the otter varies slightly,
according to the light in which it is
viewed, but is generally of rich brown
tint, intermixed with whitish gray.
This color is lighter along the back and
and the outside eff the legs than on the
other parts of the body, which are Of a
paler gray ish hue. Its habltation is
made in the bank of the river which it
frequents, and is rather inartficial in its
character, as the creature is fonder of
occupying some natural crevice or de-
serted excavation than of digging bur-
row for itself. The nest of the otter is
composed of dry rushes, flags, or other
aquatic plants, and is purposely placed
as near the water as possible, so that in
case of sudden alarm the mother otter
may plunge into the stream together
with her young family, and find refuge
among the vegetation that skirts the
river banks. The number of the young
is from three to five, and they make
their appearance about March or
April.
On account of the powerful-scented
secretion with which the otter is funish-
ed by nature, it is readily followed by
dogs, who are always eager after The
sport, although they may not be very
willing to engage in single fight with SO
redoubtable on opponent. An otter hsl
been known to turn savagely upon
dog that was urge, to attack it, to drag
it into the water, add to drown it. The
best dogs for the purpose are said to be
the otter hounds. Even human foes are
resisted with equal violence.
The fur of the otter is so warm and
handsome that it is in great demand for
commercial purposes. The entire length
of the animal is rather under three feet
and half, of which the tail occupies
about fourteen or fifteen inches. On
the average it weighs about twenty
three pounds; but there are examples
which have far surpassed that weight.
Mr.. Bell records an instance of a gigan-
tic otter that was captured in the river
Lea, between Hertford and Ware, which
weighed forty pounds. --GCtentUfc Ameri-
c0n