OTTER 195 



doborci, doran, doran-donn, dor-chu, douran, dubhr-ci, dur-chu 

 (fresh water) ; Ki-dur (Arm.) ; Madadh-donn, madadh-uisge ; 

 Onchu ; Peist or piast dubh or donn. 



Atter (O. E.) ; Dratsie ; Hotor (A. S.) ; King-otter ; Lutria ; 

 Oter^ otor, ottar, otyre ; Teak, tike, tyk, tyke (Shet.). 



The etymology of this word is supposed to be from Teut. 

 " Utra/' Ar. Udra, for original Wadra, a water animal. The 

 proper etymology of the Gaelic name "dobhran" is dobar or 

 doboir an or aon, the water one, the term dobhar-chu is just 

 water-dog ; doboir is the old form of word for water, as appears 

 from the Book of Deer, where Aberdour is written Aber-dobboir ; 

 and in Cormac's glossary of the Old Irish, doboir is given as an 

 Old Irish word for water. In another Old Irish glossary we find 

 this couplet : — " Bior and An and Dobar, the three names of the 

 water of the world " ; tobar, a well, is just dobar. The etymology 

 of this word furnishes a leading case in point against the preju- 

 diced scholars who sought for everything outside of Celtic. One 

 rendering, but supposed erroneous, is ^^An t-odharan," the dun 

 one, or dun-coloured. Dobhran is said to mean the fresh-water 

 otter and beist-dubh the sea otter. The skin of the latter is said 

 to be red in August. 



The otter was said to have a magic skin and vulnerable only 

 in the white spot (ball), beneath the chin, or under forearm, all 

 the rest of its person being invulnerable. Like the toad, a jewel 

 is also said to be in the head of the otter. This white spot is 

 called ball-dobhrain, and is the term for a mole or spot on a 

 person's skin, which is considered lucky to have. It was also 

 considered lucky to have one's targe lined with the skin of an 

 otter. Dr Gillies says that " Maol-dobhran " is a mark similar in 

 its origin to " milleadh-maighiche," or hare-lip, or " maol-conan," 

 rabbit-mole or spot ; these spots, as said, are lucky, especially 

 when mole or spot above the eyes. The skin being magic is, 

 of course, considered a charm, also an antidote against fever and 

 smallpox, a safeguard against drowning, and efficacious in child- 

 birth. As the otter shuts its eyes while eating it is easily robbed. 

 Whenever nine otters are found together, it is said one will be a 

 male. A famous white otter, or dun with a white star, used to 

 live in Sutherland, and was supposed to be the king of the otters. 

 An otter was killed there though shot in the hind quarter, which 

 so far disposes of the invulnerability story. In Sutherland it is 

 called " Ouar hoo " (odhar chu), the dun dog. In Sweden and 

 Norway a system of extermination is pursued against this harmless 

 animal. In ancient times otters were of great value. See Welsh 

 laws of Howel Dha of tenth century, in which the skin of an ox, 

 a deer, a fox, and an otter are all valued at the same price, i.e., 

 eight times as dear as the skin of a sheep or goat. In Folk-lore 

 from the Hebrides, it is said that any one who licks three times 



