120 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



loch, close to Corsecleugh, once observed one of these 

 animals lying asleep upon a piece of meadow-ground, 

 close to the water, and on attempting to kill it, was 

 forthwith assailed in return, and compelled to sound a 

 retreat. 



While angling in the still part of Tummel, immedi- 

 ately above Loch Tummel, we lately stumbled upon 

 an otter, amusing himself under some bushes. Although 

 within reach of our fishing-rod, the fellow raised him- 

 self boldly in the water to gaze at us, and seemed, like 

 an upstart keeper, to question our right of angling so 

 near his retreat. After a minute or so, he began to 

 be satisfied with our appearance, and leisurely retired 

 under water. 



An otter catcher once informed us of a rare variety 

 of this animal he had taken in a trap, and which he 

 termed the king of the otters. According to his ac- 

 count, it was considerably larger than one of the com- 

 mon sort, and strangely spotted over with whitish spots. 

 The capture of this specimen he considered a great 

 achievement, as, although known, it was reckoned by 

 most otter catchers extremely rare. 



Those who employ night lines for pike, will some- 

 times observe, how even the strongest are unaccount- 

 ably broken ; this we ourselves have remarked, and can 

 attribute it to nothing else than the interference of one 

 of these creatures, whose nocturnal depredations help 

 not a little to destroy the finest fish in our waters. It 

 has been said, that when an otter sets its eye upon a 

 particular trout or salmon, it never loses sight of it, 

 and after a few minutes' chase, is certain to secure its 

 victim. 



Besides the otter, the angler has two accomplished 

 enemies in the heron and the water ousel. The for- 

 mer, however, confines himself to small fish, such as 



