COMMON OTTER. 439 



admission of air: it is farther observed, that this 

 animal, the more effectually to conceal its retreat, 

 contrives to make even this little air-hole in the 

 midst of some thick bush." Though the principal 

 food of the Otter consists offish, yet it is said that 

 in hard weather, when this its natural prey fails, 

 it will attack the smaller quadrupeds, as well as 

 poultry, &c. The Otter is naturally a very fierce 

 animal, and when hunted with dogs, as is some- 

 times the practice, will inflict very severe wounds 

 on its antagonists. The female produces four or 

 five young at a birth: this commonly happens 

 early in the spring. The young Otters, if taken 

 at a very early age, may be successfully tamed, 

 and taught by degrees to hunt for fish, and bring 

 them .to their master. This taming of Otters 

 and employing them in fishing is mentioned 

 by Aldrovandus (from Albertus Magnus) as a 

 circumstance familiarly known, and more espe- 

 cially, according to Albertus, in Sweden, where 

 he tells us that, in the houses of the great, these 

 animals were kept for that purpose, and would 

 go out, at a signal from the cook, catch -fish, and 

 bring it into the kitchen in order to be dressed 

 for dinner! ! ! 



The Count de Buffon, in his description of the 

 Otter, given in the 7th volume of his Natural 

 History, seems inclined to doubt the reality of 

 the Otter's having ever been properly tamed, so 

 as to be rendered serviceable in fishing ; but later 

 experience has proved this to be perfectly prac- 

 ticable. An Otter thus tamed has followed its 



