THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



dalesman more than once found the carcass of a 

 lamb left close to the edge of the water on the 

 lake shore, with the tracks of otters round about 

 it. Neither a hill-fox nor marten would be likely 

 to drag or carry the carcass to water, and the whole 

 thing certainly pointed to the work of otters. 



An otter is a predaceous animal of the weasel 

 family, strong, and active in its habits, and would 

 experience no difficulty in tackling a lamb. It is 

 never safe to be dogmatic in one's statements con- 

 cerning the habits of wild creatures, because 

 generally speaking, the only regular thing about 

 them is their variability. Cases have occurred 

 where otters were responsible for killing ducks, 

 grouse, pheasants, and rabbits, and though such 

 behaviour is only occasional on the part of the 

 average otter, it shows what he will do when so 

 inclined. 



In winter otters are sometimes hard put to it to 

 find food, and they have been known to take 

 poultry at such times. In the same way regarding 



the dalesman's statement about lambs, an otter 



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