Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1896 — Sea Otters. [ARTICLE]

Sea Otters.

The dexterity of sea otters in turning and doubling upon Their pursuers is due to the strength of _ their hilld paws, which’ ‘have five webbed fingers or toes, the center one being shortest, like those of a seal. Their tails are used as rudders, but are not so long as those of the common otter. Their love of lifd, their harmlessness, their innojcence, their beauty, and their tender, tireless care of their babies also, should make man tlicir friend and admirer. Perhaps he would be if love of money were not his supreme- passiqn. COminon otters have short, webbed front paws that are used ns deftly ns hands by men, fins by flsh, or feet by land quadrupeds; their hind legs are short, and are set well back for paddling swiftly. Their muscular tails serve as tillers, and are important parts of a machinery that overcomes distance with incredible rapidity. They are able to make abrupt turns and a thousand swift and graceful maneuvers when seeking their finny food or escaping from their natural enemies. They are said to be so untiring in the sea that fish never escape them. Of course, it Is only in zoological gnr- ’ dens that the shy and crafty habits of otters can be closely studied. In tanks of water they sometimes deftly catch and hold several flsh as once, and ofteli kill many more than they cap eat,, as ’ if the mere occupation of fishing wore a distinct pleasure and the destruction of their prey a keen satisfaction; so that their sportsmanlike.tastes are near a kill" to those of men. Sewing on Eyebrows. It is said that a certain perfumer has found a new way of fixing eyelashes and eyebrows. Instead of painting them In the usual vulgar old style, he puts the genuine article there. Tlie operator takes a hair from the head of the beauty—for ladles are his chief customer—or, if she does not.dike precisely the color of her own hair, he takes one of any other color that shelikes, threads an extremely fine needle with the hair, runs It along inside the .'’kin of the eyelid, sewing sailmakoi’s fiisnion, but leaving the loops sufficiently long to enable him to cut them afterward, so that they will form a range of beautiful fringe and look perfectly natural. The operation is extremely delicate, but painful. For eyebrows he does the same tiling; hut the eyebrow operation is, of course, less delicate. Arched eyebrows, bushy eyebrows, straight eyebrows, crooked eyebrows—all sorts of eyebrows, in any color or shade or form, this perfumer makes; and it is said that ids success lfl astonishing.