. Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia. Mammals; Animal behavior. THE MARTEN FAMILY—OTTER. 177 and in its mental endowments. It belongs, without question, to the most attractive class of animals. That it is an aquatic animal is seen even when it is on dry land, having a creeping and Snake-like walk, on account of its short legs; but its movements are by no means slow. It moves quite differently in the water, which is its proper element, and to which it flees when danger threatens it on land. Its structure is admi
. Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia. Mammals; Animal behavior. THE MARTEN FAMILY—OTTER. 177 and in its mental endowments. It belongs, without question, to the most attractive class of animals. That it is an aquatic animal is seen even when it is on dry land, having a creeping and Snake-like walk, on account of its short legs; but its movements are by no means slow. It moves quite differently in the water, which is its proper element, and to which it flees when danger threatens it on land. Its structure is admirably adapted for swimming and diving. The Snake-like, flat body, the short feet, converted into vigorous oars by large webs, the rather long and powerful tail serving as a very efficient rudder, and the sleek, slippery fur—all these endowments com- bine to enable it to glide swiftly through the waves. Its sharp, vigorous teeth serve to seize the prey and let anything they once have closed upon es- cape, however slippery it may be. In winter, when the water is frozen over, it looks up holes in the ice and descends, and returns through them to breathe. Unfailingly it finds these holes again and is just as fishes only by night, especially in full moonlight. It sometimes comes quite close to human dwellings during its hunts, and passes villages that lie on the bank, usually without being detected. ' Old Otters usually live singly, but the females swim about accompanied by their young, or other females. During the breeding season one may meet males and females fishing together. The}- always swim up stream from their habitation, and some- times search a river for miles away, as well as the smaller rivers and ponds that are connected with the large stream. Skill of the An Otter is as effective and skillful a Otter hunter in the water as are a Fox and a as a Hunter. Lynx combined on the land. In shallow water it drives the fishes into aba}- to prevent their flight, or somet
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectmammals
