Otters are pretty plentiful in the rivers to the North of Churchill, as far as latitude 62°; farther North I do not recollect to have seen any. In Winter they generally frequent those parts of rivers where there are falls or rapids, which do not freeze in the coldest weather; because in such situations they are most likely to find plenty of fish. If pursued when among the woods in Winter (where the snow is always light and deep), they immediately dive, and make considerable way under it, but are easily traced by the motion of the snow above them, and soon overtaken. The Indians kill numbers of them with clubs by tracing them in the snow; but some of the old ones are so fierce when close pursued, that they turn and fly at their pursuer, and their bite is so severe that it is much dreaded by the Indians. The Otters vary in size and colour, according to age and season. In Summer, when the hair is very short, they are almost black, but as the Winter advances, they turn to a beautiful dark auburn, except a small spot under the chin, which is of a silver gray. This colour they retain all the Winter; but late in the Spring they turn to a dull rusty brown; so that a person who is acquainted with these changes can tell the very time they were killed, and pay for them according to their value. The number of their young is various, from three to five or six.