The National tribune., 1890-05-15

fiatfoOted grison, are grouped with the toe
stepping martens and weasels. For like rea-
sons the genus enhydra is affiliated with music
lde, notwithstanding the modification Of
tho musteline type of structure" which sea
offers exhibit. These have the heavy cyliu-
drical body of common offers. and like them
the general contour is scarcely so much con-
stricted anteriorly as to form an appreciable
neck. Again, as in the Canada otter, the head
is relatively small round, but moro massive
than that of ultra canandeusis, the eyes and
ears are somewhat diminutive, and the tail is
rather short, tapering and blunt at the end.
On the other hand,
ADAPTATIONS INVOLVED IN ITS MODE OF
LIFE
have changed the short, stout hind limbs of the
North American otter :" into flPpeF-like or
gans, not very dissimilar to those of some seals
in enhydris," and have likewise specially mod
fled its coat, aud altered the teeth so radically
that they no longer resemble those Of any of
its family.
In the unique dentition of this sub family
pair of incisors in the lower jaw is wanting,
and. in fact, all the cutting teeth are defunc
tiOnalized as SUCH" Their structure is adapted
to crushing the shells of clans, sea uTchins and
muscles, upon which sea offers almost wholly
subsist. Their distinctively cutting character
has disappeared. Similarly, the grinders are
massive and tubercular and the CANNES small
ANu btuuN- III THIS instance the entire uCuII-
ture is the resultant of circumstances which
confined these animals chiefly to the regimen
of shel-fsh above specified and superinduced
habits like those OF the walrus. This is but
the merest outline sketch. bat it indicates
the essential points connected with enhydra,
whose pelt is among the most valuable of any
in the musteline group. Sea offers are entirely
covered, except the muiIle and palms, with a
coat remarkable for the prepOnderaRce of
under-fur over its longer and sitter portion.
Celebration varies greatly with age and sea-
son." but in good specimens the pelage is Of a
deep liver brown, about the same above and
below, everywhere sIvered or frosted with
the hoary tips of the longer stiff hairs"
According to Elliott. the average entire
length is from three and one half to four feet
The sexes are identical in appearance, and
the young, which are born at all seasons, are
brought forth Cat least such is the native &C
COUNT upon kelp beds" in pleasant or not
over-rough weather" adds Lockwood. There
is nothing I'm the physiology of parturition to
sustain belief that vOlition has any control
over its progress, aud this statement is prob
ably an inadveTtence. Births must occur in
dependeutly of atmospheric changes, and, apart
from this, all who are familiar with kelp beds
know that the waves of no tempest, however
wild, ever break far within their borders.
Young sea offers have
A BRowNIsH, GRIZZLED COAT,
with grayish or rulous white head and nape,
but the fur becomes prime y at two years.
They are not weaued for a year or more. and
during their whole infancy the mother tends
them with atfcctiOnate sOlcitude. Lying upon
her back she plays with the little creatures for
hours az time, sleeps with her young casped in
her arms. and when attacked will inteTpOse her
own body between her offspring and harm.
These animals are homogeneous which has
much TO do. no doubt, with their parental
tenderness, and they are among the shyest,
wariest aud most timid of living beings. A
pup cannot be reared by hand. Away from the
mother il always perishes, according To current
accounts, by voluntary starvation. Playful
ness is said TO be characteristic of adults also,
who are described as being fond of tossing
bit of sea-Weed into the air and catching
tho fragment before il can reach the water.
Observers furthermore state that they do not
invariably crush the tests inclOSiug their food
with the teeth. but take muscle. for example,
in each short fore paw, and strike them to-
gether until the shells are fractured upon
which their contents are at once sucked out.
As enhydra, at present ut least, is somewhat
in geographical distribution, the
single genus and species of the family being
confined to the coasts and islands of the North
Pacific, il is not exposed To any considerable
range of temperature, and therefore does not
exhibit marked seasonal alterations i'll its
coat, the constituents of which grow aud fall
out like the hairs upon a human head. In
other words, the sea otter is always prepared
to encounter severe weather
The value of its pet was sOOD appreciated,
aud besides those field naturalists who, from
Steller and Pallas down. have more or less sell
entifcaly described this otter, the Russian
whose relations Cox has summar-
lied, aud most of the English yoyageTs to our
northwest coast, Cook Meares and the rest,
have seldom failed to contribute some informa-
tion on this subject, although it must be con-
fessed that, for the most part these latter
writers are not very instructive. "a truthful
account" says Elliott, of the strange, vigilant
life of the sea otter, and OF
THE HARDsHIPs AND PERILs
encountered by its hunters would surpass in
interest the most attractive work of fiction"