THE OTTER-HOUND 173 



At length one of the searchers lifts his head, yet still in silence, 

 to call the attention of the huntsman, who immediately hastens to 

 the spot, where on his knees he carefully examines that to which 

 his notice has been drawn, and, after a few moments, raising 

 himself from his prostrate position, winds his horn merrily. 

 Immediately the whole pack gathers to his side, and as they rise 

 the bank a beautiful chorus fills the air, they having once more 

 touched the trail, the sign that had been found being the * spur ' 

 of the otter where it had left the river. Then the hunt proceeds 

 in all its excitement, but the certainty of a kill is always as im- 

 probable as it is probable, and in this is the beauty of the chase. 

 Should, however, the luck be with the pack and the hunt ter- 

 minate with a good kill, the huntsman brings the now dead otter 

 on the bank, and here he carries out the offices attached to the 

 matter. First the ' pads ' (feet) are dismembered from the legs 

 and the ' mask ' (head) is severed from the body. Then the 

 'pole' (tail) is cut off at the root, and now the 'pelt' (skin) 

 is stripped from the carcase, which is then cast as a reward 

 among the longing and excited pack. These trophies are distributed 

 among the field of followers, the ladies, who often grace an otter- 

 hunt with their presence, receiving their full share." 



A breed of dogs selected and kept to this game, even if 

 originally of the identical stock of our modern Bloodhounds, would 

 naturally diverge in some characteristics, and the wet-resisting coat, 

 so necessary to a dog so much in the water, would be developed ; 

 whereas, on the contrary, the treatment to which the companion 

 Bloodhound is subjected tends to fine and soften his coat : or 

 there may have been rough-coated hounds of the Bloodhound 

 type from which the Otter-hound has sprung; and, according to 

 both Caius and Turberville, Bloodhounds were used for this sport. 

 But whether either of these suppositions is correct or not, he is 

 in shape and voice and style so truly a hound that one cannot 

 think he is indebted to a strain of either Spaniel, Terrier, or Deer- 

 hound blood for his rough and wet-resisting coat. 



Mr. Buckley says : " I have tried a cross with the Bloodhound, 

 but it was a failure, as the progeny were much too tender. I think 

 the probable origin was the Southern Hound, Water Spaniel, and 

 old Harrier blood. This, however, is only my individual opinion, 

 derived from ten years' breeding ; but it is difficult to say, as there 

 are at least two distinct types." 



In general appearance always excepting the coat the Otter- 

 hound much resembles the Bloodhound; he should be perfect in 

 symmetry, strongly built, hard and enduring, with unfailing powers of 

 scent, and a natural antipathy to the game he is bred to pursue. 

 The head should be large, broader in proportion than the Blood- 



