THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



very nearly succeeded once. This seems so 

 unusual to me that it would be of great interest 

 if others have had a similar experience. This 

 incident took place about eight in the evening, and 

 in a pool where there was only an opening of a 

 few feet where one could gaff the fish owing to 

 trees. The trees undoubtedly accounted for the 

 otter failing to see me, but as soon as he raised his 

 head above water in midstream and saw that there 

 were others as well as himself after that fish he soon 

 cleared off, and the fish was successfully landed. 

 The wild rushes made by the salmon after the otter's 

 first attempt were extraordinary, as the fish was 

 about done and fit for gaffing. To me this was a 

 clear proof of the instinctive fear and wonderful 

 vitality in a fish when his natural enemy appeared." 

 Other instances of a similar nature have been 

 recorded from time to time, in some of which the 

 otter has succeeded in taking the hooked fish. 

 There is no doubt that an otter or otters frighten 

 fish, particularly salmon, when chasing them about 



a pool. The instinct of all wild animals is to 



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