292 SPORT IN EUROPE 



light was extinguished by the explosion. The intense anxiety of the 

 brief interval whilst a match was struck and the candle relighted may 

 be imaoined. But the hunters stood firm, and the second bear was 

 killed also. In such cases the bullet must always be placed between 

 the eyes. The Lapps also kill the lynx in a similar fashion. 



A treatise that pretends to deal more or less exhaustively with 



Scandinavian sport cannot altogether ignore the existence of seals 



and otters. Scandinavian seals are chiefly of two kinds, 



Qpolg 3,11(1 



-^ the spotted and the grey. Unless the sportsman be 



desirous of obtaining a keg of oil, or a harsh, mottled 

 skin, generally used for covering trunks or converting into tobacco 

 pouches, he will scarcely take the trouble to pursue them ; but if they 

 infest the mouth of his salmon river he may be tempted to expend 

 a few bullets on them. Otters of immense size — the writer has 

 obtained skins measuring 5 ft. 11 in. from snout to tip of tail — inhabit 

 the innumerable rocky islets which fringe the Norwegian coast and 

 live entirely in the sea, although they too at times enter the mouths 

 of salmon rivers. Shots at them may be had by pure accident, or 

 by attaching oneself to a professional hunter who knows their haunts 

 and habits. The skins when dressed are very handsome and of 

 considerable value. 



We have now to consider the small grame of Scandinavia. Blue 

 hares, which in the northern forests and fjeld districts turn white in 



winter, are distributed over the whole peninsula, and in 



Small Game , ,. . , 

 ^. TT some parts are very numerous. Accordmg to national 



custom, they are usually hunted with dogs, when they 



invariably run in circles, and are sure at last to come within range of 



