294 HUNTING. 



of the hedges, just as a polecat is wont to do, she showed us 

 some of the prettiest sport I ever saw. The terriers of course 

 were alone able to follow her ; but the hounds on each side of 

 the fence were w^atching the fray with intense excitement, 

 throwing their tongues frantically, as if to encourage their little 

 mates, and expecting at every instant to grab their prey. At 

 length down they came, terriers and otter all locked together, 

 the mass rolling over and over into the midst of the hounds ; 

 so ended this lively chase. 



We always knew afterwards where to find on that river, the 

 moment a drag was struck on the lower w^aters. 



The otter is believed by many to be amphibious, but suffice 

 it to say that neither it nor any other known animal is so 

 constituted. With as much reason might the pearl diver be 

 considered capable of sustaining life equally well in both 

 elements — air and water — as the otter. The diver descends 

 into the depths of the latter to earn his livelihood, and the 

 otter does it for the same purpose ; yet one minute's duration 

 in that element beyond the power of the lungs would be fatal 

 to both. It is also the refuge of the wild animal; but only 

 then does he seek it when he is forcibly driven from his dry 

 bed, and hopes by the interposition of the watery barrier between 

 him and his enemy to save his life. 



Some forty years ago, while hunting with Mr. Bulteel's 

 hounds, I managed to catch a young otter alive : he was not 

 half-grown, and soon became so tame that he would come to a 

 call, jump upon my lap, and eat food out of my hands. Not 

 far from the horse box in which he lived there was a small 

 pond of clear water ; and to it, for he followed me like a dog, 

 I was wont to take him when I gave him his food. Into the 

 pond, however, nothing would tempt him to go, if, on galloping 

 round the bank and winding the water, he discovered by his 

 nose there was no fish in it. He would then come up to me, 

 and watching the bowl of fish I held in my hand, w^ould look 

 into my face, as much as to say, ' Why should I wet my jacket 

 for nothing? my breakfast is in that bowl' While feeding he 



