388 



AMPHIBIOUS QUADRUPEDS. 



have frequently, when a boy, discovered their 

 retreats, and pursued them at that season. 

 I am, therefore, more inclined to follow the 

 account given us of this animal by Mr. Lots, 

 of the Academy of Stockholm, who assures 

 us that it couples ahout the middle of summer, 

 and brings forth at the end of nine weeks, ge- 

 nerally three or four at a time. This, as well 

 as the generality of his other remarks on this 

 subject, agrees so exactly with what I remem- 

 ber concerning it, that I will beg leave to 

 take him for my guide, assuring the reader 

 that, however extraordinary the account may 

 seem, 1 know it to be certainly true. 



In the rivers and the lakes frequented by 

 the otter, the bottom is generally stony and 

 uneven, with many trunks of trees, and long 

 roots stretching underneath the water." The 

 shore also is hollow and scooped inward by 

 the waves. These are the places the otter 

 chiefly chooses for its retreat ; and there is 

 scarce a stone which does not bear the mark 

 of its residence, as upon them its excrements 

 are always made. It is chiefly by this mark 

 that its lurking places are known, as well as 

 by the quantity of dead fish that are found 

 lying here and there upon the banks of the 

 water. To take the old ones alive is no easy 

 task, as they are extremely strong, and there 

 are few dogs that will dare to encounter them. 

 They bite with great fierceness, and never 

 let go their hold when they have once fasten- 

 ed. The best way, therefore, is to shoot 

 them at once, as they never will be thorough- 

 ly tamed ; and, if kept for the purposes of 

 fishing, are always apt to take the first op- 

 portunity of escaping. But the young ones 

 may be more easily taken, arid converted to 

 very useful purposes. The otter brings forth 

 its young generally under the hollow banks, 

 upon a bed of rushes, flags, or such weeds 

 as the place affords it in the greatest quan- 

 tities. I see in the British Zoology a de- 

 scription of its habitation, where that natu- 

 ralist observes. " that it burrows under ground, 

 on the banks of some river or lake, and al- 

 ways makes the entrance of its hole under 

 water, then works up the surface of the earth, 

 and there makes a minute orifice for the ad- 

 mission of air, and this little air-hole is often 



Journal Etranger, Juiii. 1755. p. 14. 



found in the middle of some thicket." In 

 some places this may be true, but I have never 

 observed any such contrivance; the retreat, 

 indeed, was always at the edge of the water, 

 but it was only sheltered by the impending 

 bank; and the otter itself seemed to have 

 but a small share in its formation. But be 

 this as it may, the young ones are always 

 found at the edge of the water; and, if under 

 the protection of her dam, she teaches them 

 instantly to plunge, like herself, into the deep, 

 and escape among the rushes or weeds that 

 fringe the stream. At such times, therefore, 

 it is very difficult to take them; for, though 

 never so young, they swim with great rapi- 

 dity, and in such a manner that no part of 

 them is seen above water, except the tip of 

 the nose. It is only when the dam is absent 

 that they can be taken; and, in some places, 

 there are dogs purposely trained for disco- 

 vering their retreats. Whenever the dog 

 conies to the place, he soon, by his barking, 

 shows that the otter is there ; which, if there 

 be an old one, instantly plunges into the wa- 

 ter, and the young all follow. But, if the 

 old one be absent, they continue terrified, 

 and will not venture forth but under her 

 guidance and protection. In this manner 

 they are secured, and taken home alive, 

 where they are carefully fed with small fish 

 and water. In proportion, however, as they 

 gather strength, they have milk mixed among 

 their food, the quantity of their fish provision 

 is retrenched, and that of vegetables is in- 

 creased, until at length, they are fed wholly 

 upon bread, which perfectly agrees with their 

 constitution. The manner of training them 

 up to hunt for fish requires not only assiduity 

 but patience ; however, their activity and 

 use, when taught, greatly repays the trouble 

 of teaching; and, perhaps, no other animal 

 is more beneficial to his master. The usual 

 way, is, first to learn them to fetch, as dogs 

 are instructed ; but, as they have not the 

 same docility, so it requires more art and ex- 

 perience to teach them. It is usually per- 

 formed by accustoming them to take a truss 

 stuffed with wool, of the shape gf a fish, and 

 made of leather, in their mouths, and to drop 

 it at the word of command ; to run after it 

 when thrown forward, and to bring it to their 

 master. From this they proceed to real fish, 



