154 Otters and Otter-Hunting. 



humane manner of preventing the undue increase of 

 Otters on our lakes and streams while ensuring their 

 preservation as one of the most interesting creatures 

 in the British fauna, and incidentally giving healthy 

 outdoor amusement to several thousands of persons 

 during those summer months when all other sport, 

 save angling and hawking, is at a standstill. 



I suppose, if it were possible from a consensus of 

 the expressed opinion of a majority of keen Otter- 

 hunters to strike an average, the ideal Otter-hunt 

 would work out something like this : A two or 

 three mile drag, gradually improving — a solid mark 

 at a holt not absolutely impregnable — a prompt 

 ejectment of the quarry by the terriers without re- 

 course to spade, crowbar, or shaking the bank by 

 jumping upon it — a good '' view " when the Otter 

 is put down, or, as Turbervile calls it, " beats the 

 water " — a two hours' swim in a deep pool or long 

 stretch of quiet water, with hounds speaking to the 

 wash and the Otter frequently " gazed " and 

 " tallied " — a possible land excursion when the game 

 gets tired of the water and runs a ring back to the 

 stream with hounds close on his rudder — finally, a 

 handsome kill by hounds and terriers, unassisted, 

 on a shallow in full view of most of the Field. 



If a M.O.H. is lucky he may get such an ideal 

 hunt twice or thrice in a season ; and if the weather 

 is propitious, the water warm, the swim an extra 



