OLLERHOUND.—Canis familiaris, 
The OTTERHOUND is now almost exclusively employed for the chase of the animal 
from which it derives its name. Formerly it was largely used in Wales for the purpose 
of hunting the hare, and from that pursuit has derived the name of “ Welsh Harrier.” 
It is a bold, hardy, and active animal, as is needful for any Dog which engages in the 
chase of so fierce and hard-biting a creature as the otter. As it is forced to take to the 
water in search or in chase of its prey, it is necessarily endowed with great powers of 
swimming, or it could never match that most amphibious of quadrupeds. Those who 
have seen an otter when disporting itself in its congenial element must have been struck 
with the exceeding rapidity and consummate ease of its movements, and can appreciate 
the great aquatic powers that must be possessed by any Dog which endeavours to 
compete with so lithe and agile an antagonist. 
Great courage is needful on the part of the Dog, because the otter is, when irritated, 
a peculiarly fierce animal, and can inflict most painful wounds by the bite of its long 
sharp teeth. It is, moreover, so pliant of body that it can twist itself about almost like 
a snake, and, if grasped heedlessly, can writhe itself about as actively and slipperily as an 
eel, and unexpectedly plant its teeth in its antagonist’s nose. Now, the nose is a very 
sensitive portion of all animal economy, and a wound or a bite in that region causes such 
exceeding pain that none but a well-bred Dog can endure the torture without flinching. 
Such needful courage is found in the Otter Dog, but is sometimes rather prone to 
degenerate into needless ferocity. There are few animals, with the exception of the 
bull-dog, which fight so savagely as the Otterhound, or bite so fiercely and with such 
terrible results. The attack of the Otterhound is even more dangerous than that of the 
bull-dog, and its bite more to be dreaded. As is well known, where the bull-dog has once 
fixed his teeth there he hangs, and cannot be forced to loosen his hold without the 
greatest difficulty ; but when the Otterhound bites, it instantly tears its teeth away 
without relaxing its jaws, and immediately seizes its prey with a second gripe. The 
wounds which it inflicts by this ferocious mode of action are of the most terrible 
description, lacerating all the tissues, and tearing asunder the largest and most important 
vessels. The reason for this very savage mode of attack is evident enough. The otter is 
