380 CATERS FOR ITS OWNER. 



amongst the rest, which it brought untouched to the house, 

 contenting itself with the refuse alone. Its master was 

 thus never without fish at any season of the year, and in 

 consequence sold his nets and other tackle, thinking them 

 needless now that he had so skilful a fisherman. From 

 motives of jealousy, however, the poor animal was at 

 length treacherously destroyed." 



We are told of another Otter, belonging to a Polish 

 nobleman, " which like a dog guarded the stable and 

 carriage-house, proceeded to the lake and captured fish 

 when ordered, and afterwards conveyed it home to its 

 owner. It also accompanied the dogs on shooting excur- 

 sions, and brought to land such of the Ducks as fell 

 into the water." 



We further read that a peasant in Scania, named 

 Bengt Nilsson, had some years ago a tame Otter that 

 daily supplied his family with fish. By its means, more- 

 over, he was enabled to capture wild Otters : — " Near 

 the house was a mill, and on both sides of the mill a 

 high vail, or embankment, so that the Otter in question 

 was unable to come up into the mill-dam itself. To 

 enable it to do so, the peasant made a little ' lock' or 

 doorway, in one of the flood-gates near the edge of 

 the water, through which he on several occasions lured 

 the animal ; and when it at last became accustomed to 

 go to the ' lock,' this was so arranged by the man that 

 when touched by the Otter, it could easily go out, but 

 not return. Beneath the 'lock' the peasant placed a 

 large box or chest, someAvhat resembling those used 

 for the capture of eels ; and many wild Otters from 

 the mill-dam accompanied the tame one into it, and 

 were made prisoners." 



On one occasion I myself reared an Otter cub, and 

 had the animal in my possession about a year. But as I 

 was then living near the banks of a navigable river, and 



