440 COMMON OTTER. 



master like a dog*, and been found extremely useful. 

 Instances of this kind are described in Mr. Bew- 

 ick's work on Quadrupeds. A person near Inver- 

 ness in Scotland had, according to this writer, 

 a tame Otter, which would follow him wherever 

 he chose, and, if called by its name, would imme- 

 diately obey. When apprehensive of danger from 

 dogs, it would seek protection from its master, 

 and endeavour to fly into his arms for security. 

 It was frequently employed in catching fish, and 

 would sometimes take eight or ten salmon in a 

 day : these it always made an attempt to break 

 behind the small back fin, if not prevented: as 

 soon as one was taken away, it immediately dived 

 for another, and, when tired, refused to fish any 

 longer; and, after having been rewarded with a 

 part of the spoil, would compose itself to sleep, 

 and in this state was carried home. It would fish 

 in the sea as well as in fresh water. Another per- 

 son, according to Mr. Bewick, who kept a tame 

 Otter, suffered it to follow him with the dogs, 

 and it was found a very useful assistant in fishing, 

 by going into the water, and driving the trouts, 

 &c. into the nets. It was farther remarkable, 

 that the dogs, though accustomed to hunt Otters, 

 were so far from giving it the smallest molesta- 

 tion, that they would not even hunt an Otter 

 while in its company. This method of fishing 

 with a tame Otter is also mentioned by Vaniere, 

 in. his truly Virgilian poem, the Pnedium Rusti- 

 curri. 



