264 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



season that he leaves whole on the banks of the rivers, not even 

 taking out the " otter's bite." We have, in the space of half-an- 

 hour, seen him lay a dozen of trout on the bank of one pool ; he 

 seemed to spring on them and catch them by stealth rather than 

 by fair hunting ; and, on the whole, otter-fishing seems to be a 

 nice amusement, and therefore his value on a salmon-river must 

 be very great. We would therefore recommend their strict pro- 

 tection, and not, as has been done formerly, almost drive them 

 from the face of the earth. Save the otter, but destroy water- 

 ousels and river-trout ; and in due time,' etc. 



Had Mr. Young resided on Tweedside, and devoted the same 

 attention to the habits of our Lowland otter which he appears to 

 have sought credit for having given to those of its congener in 

 Sutherlandshire, he would not have been so very positive in 

 regard to the favourite food of his amphibious friend, or estimated 

 quite so highly its services as a skilful trout-slayer to the breed- 

 ing salmon. I quite agree with him, that this animal, unless 

 pressed by hunger, shows no great disposition to intermeddle 

 with the grown-up salar. It seldom, considering its opportuni- 

 ties, does so. 'But is such forbearance, according to his own 

 views, extended by it to the smolts ? Or does the usual exercise 

 thereof lead satisfactorily to the conclusion that the otter, on a 

 salmon stream, will efficiently perform the duties of a protective ? 

 Of course, Mr. Young explains how it would do so, viz., by keep- 

 ing the fresh-water trout under control ; or, in other words, by 

 thinning them out, and thereby, be it noted, forming a pretext 

 for attacking the royal quarry. What, however, would Mr. Young 

 have said to the fact, that on our Border rivers, where the otter 

 abounds, its predatory demonstrations are almost entirely directed 

 against the common eel, rarely indeed against the fresh-water 

 trout ? This is made known chiefly by an examination of its 

 spraints or sealings, which invariably discover mixed up with 

 them portions of the backbone of the anguilla. A thorough 



