THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



hounds. And when she is taken with nets unless 

 men get to her at once she rendeth them with her 

 teeth and delivereth herself out of them. Longer 

 will I not make mention of her, nor of her nature, 

 for the hunting at her is the best that men may see 

 of her, save only that she has the foot of a goose, 

 for she hath a little skin from one claw to another, 

 and she hath no heel save that she hath a little 

 lump under the foot, and men speak of the steps 

 or the marches of the otter as men speak of the 

 trace of the hart, and his fumes (excrements) 

 tredeles or spraints. The otter dwelleth but little 

 in one place, for where she goeth the fish be sore 

 afraid. Sometimes she will swim upwards and 

 downwards seeking the fish a mile or two unless it 

 be in a stank. 



" Of the remnant of his nature I refer to 

 Milbourne 1 the king's otter hunter." 



If otters " bear their whelps as long as the 



1 The Milbourne referred to by the Duke of York can 

 scarcely be any other than the William Melbourne we find 

 mentioned in Henry IV's reign as " Valet of our Otter- 

 hounds " (note in appendix to " Master of Game "). 



36 



