92 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



once encountering a sour-faced angler, scowling at 

 the hounds which had compelled him temporarily 

 to reel-up, and found, on enquiry, that although he 

 had been fishing since 7 a.m. (it was then noon) he 

 had not had a rise. I advised him to try again after 

 we had gone on, and, returning by the river bank 

 some two hours later, found him rejoicing over a 

 nice basket of seven fat trout, whose capture he was 

 honest enough to attribute (correctly) to the fact that 

 hounds had stirred up the bottom and set the fish 

 on the feed. Of course, where an Otter is put 

 down and hunted on the exact stretch of water which 

 Piscator is fishing, he will have perforce to abandon 

 his angling ; but if he be a true disciple of Izaak 

 Walton he will do so gladly to enjoy the pleasures 

 of the chase, and perhaps, like his master, will 

 learn to " love all Otter-hunters " ever after. 



The real reason why Otters are trapped and shot 

 is that some drinking keepers and poaching farmers' 

 sons know that they can get a few shillings for the 

 carcase at the nearest " bird-stuffer's " shop. Here 

 the remedy is to a certain extent in the hands of the 

 Master and the members of the hunt. The former 

 should make a point of visiting all the professional 

 taxidermists in his country, and impressing upon 

 them that if he hears of their purchasing or setting- 

 up any Otters that have not been killed by hounds 

 he will neither send his own trophies, nor permit any 



