lo Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



of the Carthusian convent near Dijon we saw one 

 preparing for the dinner of the religious of that 

 rigid order," who do not ever eat flesh meat; and 

 I have heard, but without being able to obtain any 

 confirmation of the statement, that at a monastery 

 in Devon the monks still dress and eat Otters upon 

 Fridays and other maigre days — if they can get 

 them, presumably. 



This reminds us of Izaak Walton's ''pleasant 

 question" to Piscator in Chapter II. of ''The 

 Compleat Angler " as to whether an Otter is " a 

 beast or a fish," which the huntsman left " to be 

 resolved by the college of Carthusians who have 

 made vows never to eat flesh." If we are to believe 

 Pennant, they "resolved" in favour of the fish 

 theory — small blame to them, if Otter be indeed 

 good eating as well as " good hunting " ; as there 

 seems no reason to suppose it is not. 



