no OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 



be off floating down on the top of the water, until he 

 reaches the main river, and even perhaps the sea. But 

 no good sportsman minds, so long as hounds are not 

 too often disappointed ; the drag-hunt is the prettiest 

 part of it, and many regret the kill. 



This outline of the otter and his ways has not been 

 written for any of that company of light-hearted 

 Englishmen who already know the joys of otter hunting. 

 Of these forbearance is asked, with a description which 

 does but imperfect justice to the sport they love. It 

 will have been written, nevertheless, to little purpose, if 

 it does not go to show those who are less fortunate, 

 that here is a form of sport pre-eminently demanding 

 patience, skill, and all the best qualities that true sport 

 needs. Not alone in the mystery that veils the otter's 

 movements, but in the natural conditions of the hunt, 

 dwells an unique charm. The scent of the early morning, 

 the dew that lies heavy on the grass and stars the 

 spiders' webs, or whitens the long reaches of the river 

 under the first spell of the sun ; the wildfowl that whip 

 up from the small side streams, rise high overhead 1 ^ 

 and circle round lower and lower till they drop for 

 rest at last into the quiet of the old decoy ; the gaunt 

 grey heron, startled from the shallows, and croaking a 

 hoarse protest as he labours off to other fishing-grounds ; 

 the water itself emerald here over beds of water star- 

 wort, here broken into spinning, hissing foam-globes, or 

 pressing smooth as melted glass between the gates of the 



