330 The Tame Otter. CHAP. xxn. 



open, I trust that they will awake to the fact that they are dogs after all, 

 and should comport themselves as such. They are not " unlicked cubs," 

 for the pariah takes to them in this respect, and it is hoped that the 

 educational career that is before them will form their minds, and make 

 them morally all that can be desired. 



And now I will let the following extracts from La?id and Water speak 

 for themselves : 



FIGHT BETWEEN A JACK AND AN OTTER. 



" Sir, Much having been lately said in Land and Water about Otters, 

 I beg to offer a contribution. 



" Many of your readers may not be aware that these very sagacious 

 animals are capable of being tamed, indeed I may say domesticated, or, in 

 other words, that they can be trusted to go free about the premises, to which 

 they become quite attached, like cats or dogs. In some parts of India they 

 have long been used, not only for fishing for their masters, but for driving 

 fish into nets. Having had such interesting pets, and having been instru- 

 mental in others keeping them, I could give quite a curious history of them ; 

 but at present this is not my object, which is to try and describe a glorious 

 battle, which came off on the 2ist instant, between a trained otter and a 

 very large pike. I was summoned to the scene of action by the otter's 

 master, Mr. Hulse, of the Rifle Brigade, who brought it from India about a 

 year since. The pond where the fish was is a small but deepish one in 

 Stoke Park, near Guildford. The otter, following its master to the place, 

 entered the water and immediately dived, when we could follow his track 

 as he hunted below by the long string of bubbles (' bells,' as otter-hunters 

 term them), which, coming from his nose, marked his passage. In a short 

 time there was no doubt as to ' a find,' as the rush and troubled state of the 

 surface too plainly indicated, for it was like two express trains in full chase 

 of each other. All this lasted but a short time, say, about half a minute, 

 and the exertion and coldness of the water, etc., seemed to take a good deal 

 out of the animal, for he not only came up to breathe, but landed, and after 

 rolling himself, which they delight in doing, ' time being up,' in he went 

 again at the word of command. Many rounds like this took place, the 

 pike always breaking away, until it was varied by the capture of a carp, 

 the head of which he was allowed to eat. His appetite seemed whetted by 

 this, for he became very eager, and, whenever he came across the pike, a 

 great struggle took place, but the big fish seemed such a monster that he 

 could not worry him, yet, by the aid of his feet, he turned him over once, 

 but never brought him to the top, though the otter's tail often waved above 

 water. Up to this time behind the fish's head was the part attacked, his 

 great and powerfully- armed jaws being avoided, but now the fish was 



