runner on snow-shoes has much trouble in overtaking it. It also doubles on its
track with much cunning, and dives under the snow to elude its pursuers. When
closely pressed, it will turn and defend itself with great obstinacy. In the spring
of 1826, at Great Bear Lake, the Otters frequently robbed our nets, which were
set under the ice, at the distance of a few yards from a piece of open water. They
generally carried off the heads of the fish, and left the bodies sticking in the net.
The Canada Otter has one litter annually about the middle of April, of from
one to three young. It inhabits the Mackenzie and other rivers nearly to the
Arctic sea; and there appears to be no difference betwixt the skins obtained
on the shores of the Pacific, or in the neighbourhood of Hudson’s Bay. Seven or
eight thousand are imported annually into England.
D E S C R I P T IO N .
The Canada Otter may foe distinguished from the European species, by the fur of its belly
being of the same shining brownjsolour with that of the back. It is a much larger animal,
and has, in proportion, a shorter tail than the European one. Its fur very much resembles
that of .the heaven having the same general colours, and, like it, consisting of a very fine
waved and shining down, intermixed with longer and coarser hairs. Hearne remarks, that the
colour and quality of its fur varies much with the season. In summer, when the hair, is very
short, it is almost black ; but, as the winter advances, it turns to a beautiful reddish-brown,
except a spot under the chin, which is gray; Otter-fur is nearly of the same fineness with
beaver-wool, but being shorter, and not so well adapted for making felt, its price fluctuates
more with the fashion.
The length of the -Canada Otter is about five feet, including the tail, which measures
eighteen inches.
[21.] 2. L utra. (Enhydra) marina. (Erxlebein.) The Sea Otter.
Genus. Lutra. Ray. Sub-genus. Enhydra. Fleming.
Sea-Beaver. Krascheninikoff, Hist. Kamsk. (Grieve’s Traits.)-, p. 131. An. 1764.
Lutra Marina; Steller,. N ov. Com.. Petr op., voLxi. p. 367, t.xvi. Erxlebein, Syst. An, 1777.
Sea-Otter. Cook’s Third' Voy., vol. ii. p. 295. An. 1784. Pennant’s Arctio Zool., vol. i. p. 88. An. 1784.
Meakes’ Fo^., pp. 241-269. An. 1790. Menzees, PhU. Trans., p.385.. An. 1796.
Enhydra Marina. Eleming’s PA^. Zo&l., vol. ii. p. 187- An. 1822.
Lutra Marina. Harlan. Fauna,, p. 73.
The Sea Otter. Godman’s Nat. Hist.,vo\. 1. p. 228.
Kalan. Eamskatdales.
The Sea Otter inhabits, the northern parts of the Pacific, from Kamskatcha to
the Yellow Sea on the Asiatic side, and from Alaska to California on the
American coast. It seems to have more the manners of a seal than of the
Land Otter. It frequents rocks washed by the sea, and brings forth on land, but
resides mostly in the water, and is occasionally seen very remote from the shore,
sometimes, according to Pennant, more than a hundred leagues. The fur of the
Sea Otter being very handsome, was much esteemed by the Chinese, and, until
the market at Canton was overstocked, prime skins brought extraordinary high
prices. The trade for a considerable period was in the hands of the Russians,
who soon after the discovery of the north-west coast of America, by Beering and
Tschirikow, sent mercantile expeditions thither. Captain Cook’s third voyage
drew the attention of English speculators to that quarter, and vessels were
freighted both by private adventurers and by the India Company, for the purpose
of collecting furs on the American coast and conveying them to Canton. Pennant,
alluding to this traffic, says, “ what a profitable trade (with China) might not a
colony carry on, were it possible to penetrate to that part of America by means
of rivers and lakes.” The event that Pennant wished for soon took place. Sir
Alexander Mackenzie having traversed the continent of America, and gained the
coast of the Pacific, his partners in trade followed up his success, by establishing
fur posts in New Caledonia, and a direct commerce with China; but the influx of
furs into that market soon reduced their price.
D E S C R I P T IO N .
[Extracted from Meares’ Voyage.]
The Sea Otter is furnished with a formidable set of teeth j its fore-paws are like those of
the River Otter, but of much larger size, and greater strength ; its hind-feet are skirted with a
membrane, on which, as on the fore-feet, there grows a thick and coarse hair. The fur varies