chap, ii.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 49 



upon land, for an Otter does so sometimes five, or 

 six, or ten, miles in a night, to catch for her young 

 ones, or to glut herself with fish, and I can tell you 

 that pigeons will fly forty miles for a breakfast ; 

 but Sir, I am sure the Otter devours much fish, and 

 kills and spoils much more than he eats : and I can 

 tell you, that this Dog-fisher, for so the Latins call 

 him, can smell a fish in the water an hundred yards 

 from him : Gesner says much farther, and that his 

 stones are good against the falling- sickness : and 

 that there is an herb, Benione, which being hung in 

 a linen-cloth near a fish-pond, or any haunt that he 

 uses, makes him to avoid the place ; which proves 

 he smells both by water and land ; and I can tell 

 you there is brave hunting this water-dog in Corn- 

 wall ; where there have been so many, that our 

 learned Camden says there is a river called Ottersey, 

 which was so named by reason of the abundance 

 of Otters that bred and fed in it. 



And thus much for my knowledge of the Otter, 

 which you may now see above water at vent, and 

 the dogs close with him ; I now see he will not last 

 long : Follow, therefore, my masters, follow, for 

 Stveetlips was like to have him at this last vent. 



Ven. Oh me ! all the horse are got over the river, 

 what shall we do now ? shall we follow them over 

 the water ? 



Hunt. No, Sir, no, be not so eager; stay a little 

 and follow me, for both they, and the dogs will be 

 suddenly on this side again, I warrant you ; and the 



E 



