56 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



to Inverness-shire some few years ago, which I was 

 able to erect in a couple of days with nothing but 

 unskilled labour, not an item being found missing, 

 damaged, or wrongly numbered, despite a varied 

 voyage by rail, steamboat, and farm-cart, this firm 

 is quite reliable, and where new kennels are required 

 may be confidently employed. 



The ideal situation of kennels for Otter-hounds 

 does not differ from that of any other kennels for 

 hounds, except that it is more necessary that, geo- 

 graphically speaking, they should be established 

 at some spot which renders access easy to a majority 

 of the waters belonging to the country hunted. 

 Where such territory is extensive, perhaps covering 

 several counties, it is essential that the kennels 

 shall be built near a railway junction, in a central 

 position, whence branch lines radiating in various 

 directions will enable hounds to be taken to all 

 parts of their country, often by early trains on the 

 mornings of meeting. The expense and inconveni- 

 ence of " lying out " away from home will thus be 

 obviated ; but, of course, where fixtures for a fort- 

 night or more at a time are arranged for a distant 

 locality, it will be cheaper and simpler to " lie 

 out " in temporary kennels for the whole period. 

 Often some subscriber to the hunt will put hounds 

 up for the time they are hunting in his neighbour- 

 hood ; but, failing this, the best has to be made of 



