CHAPTER XV. 



EXISTING OTTER HUNTS IN THE 

 BRITISH ISLES. 



As may be seen by a glance at the accompanying 

 map, there are no fewer than twenty-two advertised 

 packs of Otter-hounds regularly hunting in Great 

 Britain, while others have just been formed in 

 Ireland, where in former years The King's and Mr. 

 Doyne's packs showed sport in different parts of the 

 island. Otter-hunting, therefore, is on the increase, 

 and despite the ill-informed, but abortive, efforts 

 of self-advertising and sentimental busy-bodies, its 

 future as the least artificial and most humanely 

 conducted of all field-sports seems one of happy 

 augury. 



Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly true that several 

 of the hunts as at present constituted have (to use an 

 Americanism) " bitten off a great deal more country 

 than they can chew." Their attempt to retain it is 

 detrimental to the best interests of the sport, and 

 especially to the keeping up of a sufilicient head of 

 Otters for hunting purposes. Explain the mystery 



