OTTER-HUNTING 75 



have seen a half-bred Airedale terrier and a water 

 spaniel in the same pack, and it would appear that any 

 dog with courage which will take to the water can be 

 made into an otter-hound. We have been told that 

 the pure otter-hound is such an incorrigible fighter 

 that it is almost an impossibility to keep a pack of 

 them ; for in default of otter they will fight amongst 

 themselves, apparently for the fun of the thing, like 

 Irishmen at a wake. Mr Wood, who has had as much 

 experience of them as anybody, gives an instance 

 where half the pack were killed during the night in 

 kennel, owing to one of these free fights. 



To a certain limited extent the habits of the otter 

 are like those of the fox, as he spends all the day in 

 his "couch," which answers to the earth of the fox, 

 and issues forth at night in search of his food. As a 

 rule, the " couch " is a natural hole in the river bank, 

 overlooking the water, for the otter seldom takes the 

 trouble to make a home for himself. Therefore, in 

 otter-hunting, the first thing to do is to track the otter 

 to the "couch," where he may happen to be resting 

 for the day, for, except when he is filled with parental 

 anxiety, he will change his "couch" according to his 

 •whim. In order to track him, it is necessary to 

 examine the ground minutely for his " seal," a peculiar 

 mark left by the round ball in his foot. Then a sudden 

 rush to a hole, among some tree roots, where the over- 

 hanging bank almost touches the water, followed by 

 a loud outburst of music from thirteen couple of hounds, 

 proclaims the welcome fact that a find has been made. 

 Every nerve thrills with expectation and with hope. 

 The hounds themselves seem to draw in fresh life with 

 every breath. They cluster round the hole in a great 

 confused mass, a score of heads endeavouring to 



