The Science of Hunting the Otter. iS9 



constant companion will undoubtedly suffer mentally 

 as well as physically from neglect, unkindness, or 

 cruelty. 



But the only way in which the wild animal 

 can be wounded is materially, not spiritually. Its 

 strongest instincts are for food, rest, and sexual 

 commerce, in that order. Starve, disturb, or confine 

 it alone and you destroy its normal conditions, and 

 it will endeavour to escape and gratify them. This 

 is all that the hunted animal is doing when he 

 affords us the pleasure of pursuing him. But in 

 the case of the female of any wild beast of chase 

 we have at certain seasons to take into account the 

 " maternal instinct " ; which brings us back at long 

 last to the bitch Otter put off with difficulty from 

 her stronghold. 



Resentment at disturbance of the normal condi- 

 tions impels her to leave the couch in which she has 

 laid up her cubs : the promptings of the maternal 

 instinct compel her to return forthwith to her off- 

 spring. Even if she is prevented from doing so she 

 will hang about the place where they are and 

 perhaps be killed " wet," when the cubs, too, will 

 perish. I once witnessed an instance in point in 

 which a bitch Otter belied all the accredited habits 

 of her race. She had been '' put down " with two 

 cubs of five or six months old, both of whom took 

 refuge in some weiring, where they were temporarily 



