Otter Hitnting 17 



and partly fish ; and it has been said, so 

 prevalent was this opinion, that good and 

 devout Catholics eat its flesh on fast days. 

 Izaak Walton, in his " Compleat Angler," 

 refers to this fishy idea : 



" PISCATOR : ' I pray, honest huntsman, 

 let me ask you a pleasant question : Do 

 you hunt a beast or a fish ? ' 



" HUNTSMAN : ' Sir, it is not in my power 

 to resolve you ; I leave it to be resolved by 

 the College of Carthusians, who have made 

 vows never to eat flesh. But I have heard 

 the question hath been debated among many 

 great clerks, and they seem to differ about 

 it, yet most agree that her tail is fish ; and 

 if her body be fish too, then I may say that 

 a fish will walk upon land.' ' 



Otters travel quite considerable distances 

 at night hunting their prey, and their 



B 



