THE OTTER.
THE OTTER.
These animals are, in general, rather more than three feet long from the point of their nose to the tip of their tail. Their legs are very short, but they are strong and muscular. The colour of their body is mostly of a deep brown.
Otters live chiefly on the banks of rivers or brooks. They make the entrance to their burrows under water, and work upwards, forming several lodges, that they may have a retreat in case of high floods; they end by making a small hole for the purpose of admitting air, but they take care that this hole shall come out in the midst of some thick bush, so that they may not be discovered. They are easily tamed, and are kept by many fishermen, being found of great service. The fishermen send them into the water, and they will often drive the fish into their nets, and sometimes bring out the larger ones in their mouths.