68 COMMON BJIITISH ANIMALS 



powerful animal for its size, extremely agile and swift 

 in the water and almost equally swift on land. Thus 

 an otter hunt usually means a fine run through 

 beautiful river valleys, ending in the escape of the 

 animal pursued. Mr. Millais says that on an average 

 four out of six otters escape. For people who can 

 run and do not mind wet feet it is a most enjoyable 

 sport, which takes one out in the early morning into 

 charming surroundings. The hounds must be put 

 on to the ''ioii^' or scent of the otter before the sun 

 gets up, as afterwards it soon disappears. 



The kings of England from the time of John have 

 had their otter hounds. Edward IPs pack was in 

 the care of his famous huntsman Twici, and Henry 

 VIII had a pack of otter hounds in charge of his 

 huntsman Thomas Hordon. Formerly the otter was 

 speared by a barbed spear called ^' otter grains,^^ as 

 depicted in Landseer's picture of "The Otter Hunt," 

 but this instrument is no longer used. Otters are 

 not now hunted in England for their fur. The best 

 skins come from Scandinavia and from Canada, and 

 the animals are caught in large numbers for this 

 trade. 



Fines and charges were formerly made of a certain 

 number of otter skins. 



