n<^ £Df C)tteC'T)mttutg> 



In the hunting of ¥i{h he often pops his Nofe above 

 water to take breath : It is a creature of wonderful 

 fwiftnefs and nimblenefs in taking his prey, and fot 

 greedinefs takes more than he knows what to do 

 with. 



It is a very fubtile and crafty beaft, and indowedl 

 with a wonderful fagacity and fenfe ot fmelling, info- 

 much that he can diredtly wind the Filhes in the waters 

 a mile or two off. 



The flefh of this beaft is both cold and filthy, becaufe 

 it feedeth on Itinking Fi(h, and therefore not fit to be ea- 

 ten i yet it is eaten in Germany •-, and the Carthufun Fry- 

 ers, who are forbidden to eat all manner of flefti of other 

 four-footed beafts, yet they are not prohibited the ea- 

 ting of Otters. There are thofe in England^ who late- 

 ly have higfily valued an 0«cr-pie, much good may it 

 do them with it. 



Thefe Otters muft be hunted by fpecial Dogs, fuch 

 as are called Otter hounds, and alfo with fpecial Inftru- 

 ments called O^tr-fpears. When they find themfelves 

 wounded with a fpcar, they then come to Land, where 

 they fight with the Dogs furioufly \ and except they 

 be firft wounded, they forfake not the Water : for they 

 are not ignorant how fafe a refuge the Waters are un- 

 to thrm, and how unequal a combat they (hall fuftain 

 with Men and Dogs upon the Land : yet, becaufe the 

 cold Water annoyeth their green wounds, therefore 

 they fpin out their lives to the length of the thread, 

 chufing rather to die in torments among Dogs, than to 

 die in the Waters- 



The Food of an Otter ( as I faid ) is Fi(hi and her 

 abode is commonly under the Root of feme Tree near 

 Rivers, Brooks, Pools, Meers, or Filh-pondsj and 

 fomctimes (he will lie in a hollow Tree four or five 

 foot above ground : and ro Vermin can be more de- 

 ftru6tive to a Wairen, than the Otter is to a Fi(h-pon4 j 

 '■"""' ioi 



