146 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



relieve her maddening hunger. For hours the 

 couple drew likely ground without result; but 

 when they were about to end their quest they 

 came on a stray pot containing a big crayfish. 

 The find was as welcome as it was unexpected. 

 In their eagerness to get at the prize the starving 

 creatures swarmed about the osier cage like 

 terriers about a rat-trap, vainly striving to find a 

 way between the bars or through the aperture at 

 the top, which was all but closed by the battering 

 the pot had received. It was a most tantalizing 

 situation. The otters' only hope was to stay 

 near the cage until tide and ground-swell should 

 drive it ashore, dash it to pieces against the cliff, 

 and leave the crayfish at their mercy. So through 

 the long night they never left it except to breathe. 

 In the end their patience was rewarded. The 

 breakers got hold of the trap, tumbled it over 

 and over, and wedged it between two rocks, 

 smashing one of the bars, and making a hole 

 through which the female otter managed to 

 squeeze. In a twinkling she had seized the fish 

 and crushed its life out. As soon as the wave 

 which covered her withdrew, she began devour- 

 ing her prey. Whilst she feasted, the otter made 

 frantic efforts to get in, but failed, and presently 

 desisted, contenting himself with the bits that 



