CHAPTER TWELVE THE OTTER 



This is one of the surest ways of killingthis animal when 

 he frequents a river or brook which in parts is so shallow 

 as to oblige the otter to show himself in his nightly travels. 

 They appear to go a considerable distance, generallyhunt- 

 ingdown the stream, and returning up to their place of con- 

 cealment before dawn. At certain places they seem to come 

 to land every night, or, at any rate, every timethat they pass 

 thatway. I nsolitary and undisturbed situations I havesome- 

 times fallen in with the otter during the day. In a loch far 

 on the hills, I have seen one raise itself half out of the water, 

 take a steady look at me,and then sink graduallyandquiet- 

 ly below the surface, appearing again at some distance, 

 but next time showing only part of its head. At other times 

 I have seen one floating down a stream, with no exertion 

 of its own which could attract notice; but passing with the 

 current, showing only the top of its head and its nose, with 

 its tail floating near the surface, and waving to and fro as 

 if quite independent of all restraint from its owner. If he fan- 

 cies that he is observed on these occasions, down he sinks 

 to the bottom, where he liesquietly as long as he can do with- 

 out air; and when obliged to rise to breathe, he comes up 

 close to the bank, or amongst weeds, with only his nose 

 above water. If.however, the water is clear, and you persist 

 in watching him, and by quickly approaching him, oblige 

 him constantly to dive, the poor beast will at last in sheer 

 despair crawl out on the bank,concealing himself in the best 

 manner he can. But it takes some time to oblige him to do 

 this. 



Otters are very affectionate animals. If you shoot an old 

 one who has young in the vicinity, they very soon appear 

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