TRAINING OTTERS 75 



Traps baited with fish are sometimes used : 

 but since an otter will not touch fish unless it 

 is perfectly fresh, it is necessary to renew the 

 bait very frequently, and this constant disturb- 

 ance of the trap is not conducive to success. 

 Otters are very easily tamed if taken in hand 

 when they are young enough, and are very affec- 

 tionate. It is but a year or two ago that a lady 

 was observed walking down Oxford Street 

 followed by a tame otter. They have been 

 frequently trained to catch fish for their owners. 

 At first the otter is fed on fish and water, and by 

 degrees milk and vegetables are mingled with this 

 food and less fish given it. Bread is then added, 

 and no fish given at all until it has become 

 accustomed to live on bread only, upon which 

 diet it is stated to thrive well. It is then taught 

 to fetch and carry, in the same manner as a dog ; 

 an imitation fish made of leather, and stuffed with 

 wool, is then made use of, and it is taught to 

 fetch and drop this when required. After the 

 preliminary training is completed, a dead fish is 

 thrown into the water for it to retrieve, and a live 

 one being eventually substituted, its education is 

 completed. It has been asserted that, when they 

 are pressed for food, otters are capable of destroy- 

 ing poultry, rabbits, and even lambs ; but I am 

 forced to admit that I am disinclined to credit 

 such a statement, and should require very con- 

 clusive proofs to enable me to attach any import- 

 ance to it. 



