THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



inferior to, but superior to any pack of draft 

 foxhounds. I may appear too enthusiastic on this 

 point — I am certainly rather disappointed. I 

 bought my first otterhounds in 1903. I started 

 breeding in 1905. In July, 191 4, having for two 

 or three years prior to that date put over fifty 

 puppies out to walk each year, I had just over forty 

 couple of pure-breed otterhounds in kennel. And 

 I was hoping to prove that before many more years 

 passed my confidence in the otterhound was not 

 misplaced. But in 19 19 I was reduced to under 

 ten couple, and circumstances have since pre- 

 vented me continuing my experiment to anything 

 like the same extent. And I must say that I have 

 never found the otterhound quarrelsome either in 

 kennel or out. 



I hope you will forgive my keen advocacy on 

 behalf of the pure-bred otterhound. I am sure 

 we should both dislike to see him entirely 

 eliminated from the hunting-field, and only to be 

 found as a weird and useless animal on the show 



bench. 



i8 



