The   Anatomical Defcrip'tion



94-



  The fize of the Otter, and the Proportion of its Parts, did alfo render
it
very different from the Cajior that we Diffeded; for the Cajior was three
foot
and a half long comprehending the Tail; and the Otter had in all but three
foot- two inches, and its Tail was proportionably much longer; which made
'the reft of the Body leffer than that of the Caftor. The Head of the Caflar
was five inches and a half from thel Nofe to-the hinder part of the Head,
and
that of the Otter exceeded not four and a half. The ftre-feet of the Caftor
were fix inches and a half from the Cubitus to the end of the Toes, and thofe
of the Otter not above five. The hhinderft et of the Cajior were fix inches
from the Heel to the end of the Toes, and thof& of the Otter but three
and a
half
  This does likowife render our Otter very different from, thlt which B&14oi-
Ws decribes, in which he makes the Leggs to refemble thofe of a Fox, and
on-
ly different in this that they are bigger; ualefs he would be underilood
to fay
that they are bigger in proportion to their length: but the truth is, that
in
proportion to the reft of the Bcdy they are a great deal fiborter than a
Foxes,
being in this like to thufe of a 147etfel, which has a long Body and flort
Leggs.
  'Ihe hindcr feet wholly refembled thofe of the Cajtor, having five long
and flender Toes, not clole together like thofe of a Dog, and the intervals
had a skin, as in the feet of Geefe. The fore ones were like thofe behind,
and very different from the fore-iet of the Cjkvr: For thefe toes were joyned
by Membranes as thofe behind, excepting that the Membranes held them
clofer together; but they had not that refemblance which thofe (4f the Caftr
have to a Hand; the five Toes being equal, having each their three Phalanges,
and the Pollex not being more feparate from the other Toes than the reft
are
from each other.
  The A'ofe, Eyes, and fhape of the whole H ad, did hardly render it diffe-
rent from the Caf or: The Teeth only were unlike, not being fharp, nor fi
ftrong as thofe of the Cajior; which made us to think that Arijotle has mi-
flaken the Otter for the C'aflor, when he exaggerates,after the manner already
fbhewn, the firange force of its Biting: for our Otter had not thofe four
great
and long Incifores which are particular to the Cajhor, and fome other Animals,
as the Hare, Sqtiirel, and Rat; all the Teeth being made like thofe of the
Dog or Wf'olf; and the Canini being, as is ufuallonger than the imci/ores.
So that
thefe' Teeth made all the resemblance that we found the Otter to have with
the Dog, altho Bellonius reports that it has its Head, and  Lijan calls it
the
River-Dog. The Ears which were little, asgin the Caftor, were lower than
the Eyes, and fituated near the lower Jaw.
  The Hair was not half fo long as that of the Cafior, containing in that
place
of the Body where it was longeftbut eight lines; whereas that of the £.'jffor
was eighteen. Its Colour was in fome meafure different from that of the Ca-
j'or, but not after the manner as Authors do exprefs it: for they do report
that the Hair of the Cajior inclines more to Grey, and we have found the
con-
trary; our Otter having the Hair underneath its Throat, Stomach, and Belly
much Greyer than it was in our Caftor. The Hair of the Tail was fihorter
than
upon the Body, but a great deal longer than on the Feet. The reit of the
-Hair
viz. on the Ilead and Back, was of a Colour refembling that of the Cai or,
                                                                   being,