218 HUNTING ROUND MALTOX. 



increasing number of otters there was room for a 

 pack in the neighbourhood, and with indefatig- 

 able energy commenced to get one together. 

 It is his intention, should otters hold out, and 

 should his efforts receive the encouragement they 

 merit, to have a}3ack of pure-bred otter hounds; 

 but at present the pack is necessarily of rather 

 a mixed character. It consists four and a half 

 couples of otter hounds, a few draft foxhounds, 

 and a harrier. The harrier is a powerful deep 

 ribbed hound which came from the Berkshire 

 Vale. He entered well to his new game, 

 and on the first time he was tried in the 

 water, hit off the line at a check, and carried the 

 scent for half a mile in deep water. A fine otter 

 hound is Pilot, which came from Mr. Geoffrey 

 Hill, and Duster and Crafty, two powerful and 

 beautifully shaped hounds, were obtained from 

 the Carlisle Otter hounds, a pack, which in the 

 hands of poor " Sandy," gained the reputation of 

 being one of the best, if not the best pack of otter 

 hounds in the kingdom. 



Mr. Cliff's celebrated pack, which is located at 

 Newbury, in Berkshire, has also been requisitioned, 

 and three famous hounds. Collier, Rayman, and 

 Ruler come from him, and Spartan, who comes 

 from Mr. Carrick, is also a fine looking hound, 

 and very good in his work. 



The season has been a very awkward one for 

 otter-hunting, cold weather and heavy fioods 



