2.SO NATUKALIST'S CABINET. 



Otter-hunting. 



when he vented, or came to the surface of the 

 water to breathe. If an otter were not soon 

 found by the water side> it was imagined that he 

 had gone to couch more inland, and was sought 

 for accordingly; (for sometimes they will feed a 

 considerable way from their place of rest, choos- 

 ing rather to go up than down the stream). If 

 the hounds found an otter, the sportsmen viewed 

 his track in the mud, to find which way he had 

 taken. The spears were used in aid of the dogs. 

 When an otter is wounded, he makes directly to 

 land, where he maintains an obstinate defence ; 

 he bites severely, and does not readily quit his 

 hold ; when he seizes the dogs in the water, he 

 always dives with, and carries them far below the 

 surface : an old otter will never give up whilst 

 he has life, and it is observable, that the male 

 otter never makes any complaint when seized 

 by the dogs, or even transfixed with a spear; but 

 the pregnant females emit a very shrill cry. The 

 chase of the otter has still, however, its admirers, 

 who are apparently as zealous in this pursuit as 

 in any other we read of. In 179-5, near Bridg- 

 north, on the river Worse, four otters were kil- 

 led : one stood three, another four hours, before 

 the dogs, and was scarcely a minute out of sight. 

 The hearts, &.c. were dressed, and eaten by many 

 respectable people who attended the hunt, and 

 allowed to be very delicious. 



The otter's rlcsh, however, is so extremely rank 



