The Otter in Literature and Art. 27 



people rode to Otter-hounds, as also that " noble 

 Mr. Sadler," the Master, met so early that he 

 ''prevented the sunrising." 



In all scientific works dealing with mammalia the 

 Otter, of course, has place; but the meagreness 

 of most accounts serves to prove how little of his 

 life-history was really known to their writers. 



Most works dealing with hunting mention the sport 

 of hunting the Otter, from " The Noble Art of 

 Venerie " (1575), ascribed to George Turbervile, to 

 the encyclopaedic manuals of Daniel, Blain, and 

 " Stonehenge." In these accounts the now, happily, 

 obsolete spear, or " Otter-grains," was of course 

 used to terminate the hunt. 



In the modern series of sporting literature — 

 the ''Badminton," "Hunting," and "Sports" 

 libraries, and "The Encyclopaedia of Sport" — 

 chapters are devoted to Otter-hunting, the most 

 informative, perhaps, being that of the late Rev. 

 E. W. L. Da vies, in the " Hunting " volume of 

 the first-named library, though the contributions of 

 the Hon. Gerald Lascelles and Mr. Arthur Heine- 

 mann to other series contain much practical informa- 

 tion in a condensed form. 



The Muse has never regarded Otter-hunting with 

 the same amount of favour as she has most other 

 sports, though Somervile in " The Chace " has given 

 us what is still the most spirited and realistic 



