The Otter　水獭

The otter belongs to a class of animals which we may call the Weasel tribe.Their bodies are long and lithe,and their legs short.This family includes the weasel(its smallest member),the stoat,the ferret,the pole-cat,the marten,and the otter(its largest member).You may then think of the Otter as a water-ferret,or waterweasel.He can swim most elegantly,and he is a beautiful diver.Let a fish glide underneath him,and he is after it in a moment;and as the fish darts here and there to escape,the Otter follows each rapid movement with unerring precision.When the fish is caught,the Otter carries it to the bank and makes a meal.But the Otter is like naughty Jack who leaves a saucy plate—he spoils much more fish than he eats.The trout and other fish are so much alarmed at the appearance of an Otter that they will sometimes fling themselves on the bank to get out of his way.

水獭属于一个可称之为黄鼠狼部落的动物家族。它们体长而柔韧、四肢短小。这个家族里有黄鼠狼（数量最小）、白鼬、雪貂、鸡貂、貂鼠和水獭（数量最多）。你会以为水獭就是水雪貂，或者水黄鼠狼，因为它们不仅是游泳健将，而且还是潜水能手。鱼儿尽可以从它身边悄悄溜过去，但它旋即就会尾随而至；鱼儿左冲右撞想法逃命，它也忽左忽右紧追不舍，一步不落。捉住鱼之后，它就把鱼叼到岸边，美餐一顿。可是，水獭像顽皮的杰克一样，总是剩饭。它浪费掉的鱼比吃掉的还要多。鲑鱼和其他的鱼一看见水獭就惊慌失措，有时候，它们会自己蹦到岸上，为它让路。