COMMON OTTER. 173 



mud or soil, as well as the recent or older appearance of 

 liis " spraints," or dung. These signs of his having been 

 either remotely or more recently on the spot will afford 

 a tolerably certain indication whether the animal be still 

 in the neighbourhood, or whether a further search must 

 be made for later marks of his presence. When the 

 Otter is found, the scene becomes exceedingly animated. 

 He instantly takes the water, and dives, remaining a 

 long time underneath it, and rising at a considerable 

 distance from the place at which he dived. Then the 

 anxious watch that is kept of his rising to "vent," the 

 steady purpose with which the Dogs follow and bait 

 him as he swims, the attempts of the cunning beast to 

 drown his assailants, by diving whilst they have fastened 

 on him, the baying of the hounds, -the cries of the hun- 

 ters, and the fierce and dogged resolution with which 

 the poor hopeless quarry holds his pursuers at bay, 

 inflicting severe, sometimes fatal wounds, and holding 

 on with unflinching pertinacity even to the last, must 

 altogether form a scene as animated and exciting as the 

 veriest epicure in hunting could desire. 



The return from such a day's sport as this in the 

 county of Carmarthen is thus described by a corre- 

 spondent of the Sporting Magazine : (c Sitting near the 

 window, I beheld approaching the bridge a cavalcade, 

 and found it was Squire Lloyd of Glansevin, escorted by 

 the gentlemen of the neighbourhood, returning from 

 Otter-hunting. The gentlemen in the front rank were 

 mounted ; and next the horsemen were three men neatly 

 dressed in scarlet coats and white trousers, with long 

 spears, on which were suspended three huge Otters. 

 Now the huntsman appeared with his well-disciplined 

 hounds ; and then followed the cart, with nets, spears, 

 and other paraphernalia ; and an old ballad -singer ap- 



