The Canada Otter 837 



as the most beautiful and engaging of all elegant pets. There 

 seems no end to its fun, its energy, its drollery, its good-nature, 

 and its postures of new and surprising grace. I never owned 

 a pet Otter, but I never yet saw one without shamefully in- 

 fringing article number ten of the Decalogue. 



J. K. MacDonald writes me: "They make delightful 

 pets. A tame Otter at York Factory, Hudson Bay, in 1871, 

 used to lie about the Fort among the dogs. On first living 

 among them several of them tried issue with him, only to find 

 that he left souvenirs of the struggle on their legs, etc. The 

 remaining dogs, benefiting by the experience of their friends, 

 made no further attack on him, and so he moved around among 

 them quite nonchalantly. He used to take long swims in the 

 river, both to enjoy the pleasure of swimming and get some 

 fresh fish of his own killing. He always returned and slept 

 inside the Fort pickets. No doubt, at the mating season, he 

 would have left if at large. This we were not permitted to 

 prove, as a strange Indian arriving close to the Fort, saw what 

 he thought was a wild Otter, and so he shot it." 



"In growing old, however, they are apt to become ugly, 

 and have been known to bite those who attempt to play with 

 them." (Merrtam.) 



The Otter is a valiant beast. During its overland or a 



FIGHTER 



oversnow journey in search of open water, if closely pressed 

 by pursuit, it will turn on any assailant and defend itself with 

 marvellous courage and power. Its gifts as a fighter are ably 

 seconded by its protective armour of fur, hide, and fat, and it is 

 very doubtful whether there ever lived a dog that could conquer 

 an Otter in fair single fight. 



"At all times and all occasions, furthermore, they manifest 

 an insatiate and unaccountable desire to break the peace with 

 any dog that chances to cross their path. 



"If the misunderstanding occurs in the vicinity of the 

 water, as it commonly does, there is a strong tendency for the 

 participants to drift nearer and nearer the shore, for thither- 

 wards the Otter artfully draws his antagonist. I have never 



