OBSERVATIONS OF THE OTTER AND CHUB 



HUNT. Sir, it is not in my power to resolve you, I leave 

 it to be resolved by the College of Carthusians, who have made 

 vows never to eat flesh. But I have heard, the question hath 

 been debated among many great clerks, and they seem to 

 differ about it ; yet most agree that her tail is fish : and if her 

 body be fish too, then I may say, that a fish will walk upon 

 land, for an Otter does so sometimes five, or six, or ten miles 

 in a night to catch for her young ones, or to glut herself with 

 fish, and I can tell you that Pigeons will fly forty miles for a 

 breakfast ; but Sir, I am sure the Otter devours much fish, and 

 kills and spoils much more than he eats : and I can tell you, 

 that this Dog-fisher, for so the Latins call him, can smell a 

 fish in the water an hundred yards from him : Gesner says much 

 farther, and that his stones are good against the Falling- 

 sickness : and that there is an herb, Benione, which being hung 

 in a linen cloth near a fish-pond, or any haunt that he uses, 

 makes him to avoid the place ; which proves he smells both 

 by water and land; and I can tell you there is brave hunting 

 this Water-dog in Cornwall, where there have been so many, 

 that our learned Camden says, there is a river called Ottersey, 

 which was so named, by reason of the abundance of Otters 

 that bred and fed in it. 



And thus much for my knowledge of the Otter, which you 

 may now see above water at vent, and the dogs close with 

 him ; I now see he will not last long, follow therefore my 

 masters, follow, for Sweetlips was like to have him at this 

 last vent. 



VEN. Oh me, all the horse are got over the river, what 

 shall we do now? shall we follow them over the water? 



HUNT. No, Sir, no, be not so eager, stay a little and follow 

 me, for both they, and the dogs will be suddenly on this side 

 again, I warrant you ; and the Otter too, it may be : now have 

 at him with Kilbuck, for he vents again. 



VEN. Marry so he does, for look he vents in that corner. 

 Now, now Ringwood has him: now he's gone again, and has 

 bit the poor dog. Now Sweetlips has her; hold her, Sweet- 

 lips! now all the dogs have her, some above and some under 

 water ; but now, now she 's tired, and past losing : come bring 

 her to me, Sweetlips. Look, 'tis a Bitch-Otter, and she has 



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