The Science of Hunting the Otter. 173 



hands and clothes. No unnecessary time should be 

 wasted over this part of the proceedings, but imme- 

 diately mask, rudder, and pads are secured slit 

 open the carcase and throw it to the waiting pack. 

 Encourage them to ''tear it and eat it," blowing 

 another ''rattle" and cheering them on; then go 

 round and distribute the trophies, keeping a surrep- 

 titious bit of liver to " blood " the " young entry " 

 among your Field; after which you will probably 

 feel that " something fizzy in a long tumbler " has 

 been well earned. 



The opportunity afforded by getting two consecu- 

 tive days' hunting on the same river is invaluable to 

 the young Master of Otter-hounds. It is only 

 possible by adopting the methods of that very ex- 

 cellent sportsman, the late Mr. James Lomax, of 

 Clayton Hall, who also regulated the number of 

 couples of hounds with which he hunted by the size 

 of his water, and held a few couples in reserve 

 which he substituted for tired hounds if the day 

 proved over- long or the quarry moved into more 

 difficult water. Even if he did not intend to hunt 

 two days following he frequently went or sent his 

 kennelman with one or two couples of steady old 

 hounds on the previous day to draw the river up or 

 down to the next day's place of meeting. In 

 this way he made sure beforehand where Otters 

 were, and was often able to show sport where the 



