SEA

See also:

• OTTER
• OTTER (0. Eng. ate, otor, a common Teutonic word, cf. Dutch and Ger. Otter, Dan. odder, Swed. utter; it is to be referred to the root seen in Gr. 6&ep, water)
• SEA OTTER

OTTER  .—Size 50 X25 in . Possesses one of the most beautiful of coats . Unlike other aquatic animals the skin undergoes no process of unhairing, the fur being of a rich dense silky wool with the softest and shortest of water hairs . The colours vary from pale grey brown to a rich black, and many have even or uneven sprinkling of white or silvery-white hairs . The blacker the wool and the more regular the silver points, the more valuable the skin . Sea otters are, unfortunately, decreasing in numbers, while the demand is increasing . The fur is most highly esteemed in Russia and China; in the latter country it is used to trim mandarins' state robes . In Europe and America it is much used for collar, long facings and cuffs of a gentle-man's coat; such a set may cost from too to £600, and in all probability will soon cost more . Taking into consideration the size, it is not so costly as the natural black fox, or the darkest Russian sable, which is now the most expensive of all . The smaller and young sea otters of a grey or brown colour are of small value compared to the large dark and silvery ones . Value I0 to 220 . A single skin has been known to fetch 400 .