40 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



If the Otter-hound speaks more freely to an older 

 drag the fox-hound will sometimes slip away 

 ''mute" with an Otter and spoil a day's sport. 

 If the Otter-hound is not so quick at a kill, he 

 is not so liable to " riot," especially at foxes, which 

 are often found in osier-beds when drawing for an 

 Otter. 



There are drawbacks on either side of the argu- 

 ment as to whether rough or smooth hounds shall 

 be employed. For looks and cry and all-round 

 working qualities a pack of pure Otter-hounds is 

 undoubtedly to be chosen : for a quick method of 

 hunting and for dash and finish at a kill probably 

 a mixed pack would be awarded the palm. But, 

 as Mr. Wilson Davidson, the Field Master and 

 Honorary Huntsman of the Dumfriesshire Otter- 

 hounds for twenty years, has maintained, if all 

 Masters of Otter-hounds would give their attention 

 to breeding the rough hound they would soon be 

 able to breed out such faults as he may possess, and 

 he would speedily take his proper place as the only 

 hound employed for hunting his proper quarry. 



Turbervile cordially recommends the employment 

 of bloodhounds as trail-hounds, and I once entered 

 a bloodhound bitch of the Chatley strain, who 

 proved excellent on a drag, and who swam the foil, 

 though slow in the water. She would seize and 

 hold an Otter, but would take no part in breaking 



