ESCAPED OTTERS.
In giving a list of the alien animals now at large in England I left to a postscript the nutria ; and a good deal of confusion has been caused by the introduction of the name into the musk-rat controversy. The nutria is a North American animal very nearly akin to the otter, and, of course, vastly bigger than the American vole which we call the musk rat. It will burrow ; and it is conceivable that the habit might do damage ; but few things are less likely than its wide multipli- cation. Both in France and England nutria farms have been stocked, for the fur is valuable ; and in spite of some assertions to the contrary our climate seems to produce as good pelts as any other—if of the silver fox, then certainly of the nutria. A fair number, bred from escaped animals, are at large in France ; and their ravages among the duck have been serious in at least one bird sanctuary. If any escape in England, the fact ought to be as well advertised as an escape front. Dartmoor, and as promptly dealt with.
Previous page
