278 IlEMIXISCE^X"ES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



CHAP. XXVII. 



THE OTTEE. — HIS HABITS. — HIS TEACHAI?LE>T;SS. 



" On the soft sand. 

 See there his seal impressed : and on that bank 

 Behold the glittering spoils, — half eaten fish, 

 Scales, fins, and bones, the leavings of his feast." 



SOJIEE^TXLE. 



The charge of destroying game can certainly not be 

 brought against the otter ; but as he affords much sport 

 he has a fair claim to be introduced into this work. 



The head of the otter is compressed, the ears are short, 

 and the eyes are so situated that they can see objects above 

 them, even v\rhen the head is in a horizontal position. 

 The feet are palmated or webbed, the toes are covered 

 with hair, and the surface of the tail is flattened. Its 

 favourite haunts are the sides of rivers and lakes, es- 

 pecially such as have gravelly bottoms and high banks. 

 Pennant says " it forms a habitation by burrowing 

 under ground, on the banks of some river or lake, and 

 always makes its hole under water, works upwards to 

 the surface of the earth, and then makes a minute 

 orifice for the admission of air. Its lurking place may 

 be detected by the quantity of its excrement, and the 

 remains of its prey lying on the shore or banks. The 

 otter can run tolerably fast, and it dives or swims with 



