Chaft. xx. Jack and Ott,r Fight. 261 



gently sucking away at a pariah hitch, though they made 

 difficulties at first on the score of the dog's teats being not so fine 

 as an otter's nipple. 'When their eves open, I trust that they will 

 awake to the fact that they arc dogs after all, and should comport 

 themselvi h. They ate not " unlicked cubs," for the pariah 



takes tii them in this respect, and it is hoped that the educa- 

 tional career that is before them will form their minds, and make 

 them morally all that tan be desired. And now I will let the 

 following extracts from "land and Water" speak for them- 

 selves : — 



Fight between a Jack and an Otter. 



" Sir, — Much having been lately said in ' Land and Water ' about 

 •• Otters, I beg to offer a contribution. 



" Many of your readers may not be aware that these very sagacious 

 " animals are capable of being tamed, indeed I may say domesticated, 

 " or, in other words, that they can be trusted to go free about the 

 " premises, to which they become quite attached, like cats or dogs. 

 " In some parts of India they have long been used, not only for 

 " fishing for their masters, but for driving fish into nets. Having had 

 '" such interesting pets, and having been instrumental in others 

 " keeping them, I could give quite a curious history of them ; but at 

 '• present this is not my object, which is to try and describe a glorious 

 "battle, which came off on the 21st instant, between a trained otter 

 " and a very large pike. I was summoned to the 6cene of action by 

 "the otter's master, Mr. Hnlse, of the Rifle Brigade, who brought it 

 '" from India about a year since. The pond where the fish was is a 

 " small but deepish one in Stoke Park, near Guildford. The otter, 

 •• following its master to the place, entered the water and immediately 

 " dived, when we could follow his track as he hunted below by the 

 '• long string of bubbles (' bells,' as otter hunters term them), which, 

 •• coming from his nose, marked his passage. In a short time there 

 " was no doubt as to 'a find,' as the rush and troubled state of the 

 " >urface too plainly indicated, for it was like two express trains in 

 " full chase of each other. All this lasted but a short time, say, about 

 " half a minute, and the exertion and coldness of the water, etc., seemed 

 " to take a good deal out of the animal, for he not only came up to 

 ■ breathe, but landed, and after rolling himself, which they delight in 

 " doing, 'time being up,' in he went again at the word of command. 

 "Many rounds like this took place, the pike always breaking away. 



