48 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XXIII. 



my own, his body being almost entirely concealed 

 by the overhanging bank. I tried to make him 

 leave his cover, but in vain ; so I sent the dog in 

 again, who soon found him; and after a short scuffle, 

 the otter left the pool, and went off along a wide 

 but shallow drain, and there the battle began again. 

 The dog, although unable to master the otter, who 

 was one of the largest size, managed to prevent his 

 escape, and at last I contrived to end the contest 

 by a well-applied blow from a piece of railing which 

 I had picked up. 



Otter skins, when well dressed by a skilful 

 furrier, make a valuable addition to a lady's winter 

 wardrobe, the under fur being peculiarly soft, silky, 

 and of a rich brown colour. 



I am daily more and more convinced that the 

 otter is by no means so great an enemy to salmon 

 as he is supposed to be ; his general food being 

 trout, eels, and flounders ; although, of course, when 

 a salmon comes in his way, he is sufficiently an 

 epicure not to refuse taking it. An otter seldom 

 kills a salmon without leaving enough of the fish to 

 betray him, as most people who live near salmon 

 rivers know full well ; but the remains of the trout 

 and eels which he kills are not so conspicuous. I 

 am borne out in this opinion by Mr. Young, the 

 manager of the Duke of Sutherland's salmon-fish- 



