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The Fishing Otter

N otter, belonging to a teen inches. Itslegs are short, but strong Scotch gentleman, was and muscular. The head is broad, oval so tame that whenever and flat on the upper part; and the body it was alarmed by is long and round. The legs are so placed strange dogs, it would as to be capable of being brought into a endeavor to spring line with the body, and of performing the into its master's arms office of fins. The toes are connected by for protection. This webs. The general color of the body is a animal was accus- deep brown. tomed to fish in the The habitation of the Otter is almost stream that flowed always made in the bank of a river or close to its master's brook, in the immediate neighborhood of dwelling; it would which he can be furnished with a plenticatch eight or ten sal- ful supply of food. In forming his habimon in the course of tation, this animal exhibits great sagacity. the day, It was equal- He burrows under ground in the bank, ly expert in the sea, and always makes the entrance of his hole where it caught num- under water, working upward towards the bers of codfish. It surface of the earth; and, before he reaches the top, he provides several holts or lodges, that in case of high floods he may have a retreat, and then makes a minute orifice for the admission of air. It is further observed would hunt in this manner till it was tired, when it refused to enter the water again.

Its master then fed it with the produce of its sport, and after it had taken sufficient it went off to sleep, and was generally that the more effectually to conceal his carried home in that state. retreat, he contrives to make this little This animal is about two feet in length, air-hole in the midst of some thick bush. from the nose to the insertion of the tail; In some parts of North America, Otters and the length of the tail is nearly six- are seen in winter at a distance from any apparent open water, both in woods and they are easily traced by the motion of the on plains; but it is not known what leads snow above them, and soon overtaken. them to such situations. If pursued, The Indians track them in the snow, and