The Science of Hunting the Otter. 163 



few fables ; still, it should be read. But he must 

 become a more practical naturalist than books can 

 make him if he is to know anything about the habits 

 of Otters under normal conditions, and it is this 

 knowledge only that will help him to -find his Otter. 

 What Otters do when hunted — that is to say, under 

 abnormal conditions — he will learn from observa- 

 tion in the hunting field, and that will be of assist- 

 ance to him in the art of killing them. 



Before, however, he can kill his Otter he must 

 find him, and that is the task which is set the Master 

 and his hounds on every hunting day. He will do 

 well to recall to his memory on the way to the meet 

 the undoubted fact that an Otter may be anywhere. 

 On the other hand, of course, he may be nowhere — 

 at least, on the water included in the day's draw. 

 Such an unfortunate accident should be the only 

 cause of a blank day. 



To be more explicit, Otters ' ' lie rough ' ' and 

 often at a long distance from any water, in the 

 most unlikely places. A favourite habit of a 

 dog Otter who has been working a large river in 

 warm weather is to paddle up a small runner 

 or beck, possibly for a mile or more, and lie up 

 for the day in some root or among brushwood 

 or thick cover where few would suspect him to be. 

 When hounds feather at the spot where the beck 

 or runner enters the main stream and show a 



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