OTTERS; THEIR DEFENCE OF THEIR YOUNG. 191 



water on their return up the stream to the quiet hiding-places 

 where they pass the day. 



When accompanied by her young the female otter throws 

 aside her usual shyness, and is ready to do stout battle in 

 their behalf. A Highlander of my acquaintance happened to 

 find a couple of young otters in a hollow bank, and having 

 made prisoners of them was carrying them home in triumph 

 in his plaid. The old otter, however, attracted by their cries, 

 left the river, and so determinedly opposed his carrying them 

 away, by placing herself directly in his path, and blowing 

 and hissing like a cat at him, with tail and bristles erect, 

 that the man, although as stout a fellow as ever trod on 

 heather, was glad to give up one of the young ones, and 

 make his escape with the other while the mother was 

 occupied in assuring herself of the safe condition of the one 

 she had rescued. 



When caught young no auinial is more easily tamed than 

 the otter ; and it will soon learn to fish for its master. In 

 educating all wild animals, however, it is absolutely necessary 

 that the pupil should live almost constantly with its teacher, 

 so as to become perfectly familiarised with his voice and 

 presence. 



Even when young the otter is a most powerful and severe 

 biter, closing its jaws with the strength of a vice on whatever 

 it seizes. Every courageous dog who has once battled with 

 an otter, retains ever afterwards the most eager and violent 

 animosity against the animal. The scent of an otter renders 

 my otherwise most tractable retriever quite uncontrollable. 

 The remembrance of former bites and wounds seems to drive 

 him frantic, and no sooner does he come across the fresh 

 track of one than he immediately throws aside all control, 

 and is off ventre a terre in pursuit. 



It is not often that an otter commits himself so far as to 

 be found during the daytime in any situation where he can 

 be approached ; but one day in this month I was out for a 

 quiet walk with my retriever, looking at some wide drains 

 and small pools for wild ducks, when suddenly the dog went 

 off, nose to the ground, in so eager a manner that I knew 

 nothing but a fox or an otter could have been the cause of 

 his excitement ; and I soon found in a nearly dry open drain 

 the quite recent track of a very large otter. For a long time 

 he would not show himself, till suddenly the dog rushed into 

 a thick juniper bush, and the next moment dog and otter 



