126 MORE ABOUT THE OTTER 
curious seal that those partially webbed feet have left 
behind on the soft sand and mud. I would plunge in 
there again if I had the chance. I do not feel too 
old for that yet, but the place he still frequents has 
changed owners, and all do not enter into the spirit of 
practical natural history. 
Here is another haunt of the otter a reach of 
sluggish river-water flowing through meadows that 
are almost level with the river itself. On one side are 
high banks, copse growth, and fine old trees : some of 
these have fallen. On their grey trunks the yaffle 
shins about, yells, laughs, and yikes to his heart's 
content. Now and again he pokes his head over the 
side of a limb as he clings to the bark, makes a dive 
off to the next tree, taps, and peeps again. Here, also, 
come the greater and lesser spotted woodpeckers to 
play their side-drum solos in their playing time. 
Here, too, in their season, great masses of cream- 
coloured meadow-sweet spring from the lush-grass, 
small thickets of it scenting the air far and wide with 
their fragance. Mingled with these are clumps of 
purple loosestrife ; the warm brown stems of the 
meadow-sweet and its rich creamy blossoms har- 
monising well with the rich colouring of the loose- 
strife and the golden-green grass. In spring the lilac 
spots of the cuckoo-flower the lady's smock are in 
