206 



THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



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afterwards his home, where he gathers himself up 

 panting and weary, and whence the united efforts 

 of his enemies fail to dislodge him. 



Otter-hunting is a sport which still nourishes in 

 the west and north of England, and very fine sport 

 it is. It is necessary to rise early, or the scent of 

 the otter will have disappeared. Hard running, and 

 plenty of it, jumping, wading, and even swimming, 

 combine to render it a laborious and healthy exer- 

 cise. 



The otter does not confine himself exclusively to 

 fish diet. When fish are scarce, he will travel far 

 inland, and, pressed by hunger, attack poultry, 

 and also lambs or sucking-pigs. But such in- 

 stances are very rare, and as a general rule the 

 otter has no worse sin to answer for than that of 

 killing fish ; and we think there are few anglers 

 so bigoted, and such poor naturalists, as to be 

 jealous of, and to wish to exterminate, this wild 

 and interesting species. 



The otter may be tamed and taught to catch fish 

 for its master, and many instances of its doing this 

 have been recorded. It shows great attachment to 

 its young, and is very fierce in their defence, even 

 attacking and driving away those who have tried 

 to capture the young ones. Occasionally it will 

 make its way to the sea, and even swim a good 

 way out from land in pursuit of fish. Much more 

 might be written about the otter, but other angling 

 acquaintances claim our consideration. 





