NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER 



ferrets," the period of gestation is six weeks or 

 forty-five days. Bitch ferrets come in heat in 

 April or May, and unless mated some of them 

 apparently remain more or less in that condition 

 during the summer months. 



The excrement of the otter, known in hunting 

 parlance as " spraints," " wedging," or " coke," is 

 usually of a blackish colour, and contains the bones 

 and scales of fish. Sometimes it shows the 

 remains of fur or feather, which is proof positive 

 that the otter does not live entirely upon a fish diet. 



Where an otter has been feeding on frogs, the 

 coke is usually a yellowish colour. In sand or soft 

 earth an otter will scrape the latter into a small 

 mound, like a cat, and for the same purpose. 



Coke is generally found on stones in mid-stream, 



or at points where the otter enters or leaves the 



water. A small grassy promontory is a favourite 



place, and at such spots the grass often grows 



particularly green. If the grass is long, the coke 



will be found hidden amongst it. It is popularly 



supposed that the direction in which an otter is 



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