PREFACE 



In these days otter-hunting is a popular sport, and 

 in consequence there are now many more packs of 

 otterhounds than was formerly the case. Of all 

 beasts of chase in this country, the otter is the one 

 about which we know least, for he is a great 

 wanderer, a creature of the night, and therefore 

 difficult to study systematically. 



Of the many people who follow hounds, com- 

 paratively few understand the science of hunting, or 

 the habits of the creature which forms their quarry. 

 This is probably to some extent due to the fact 

 that there are very few books dealing exclusively 

 with the otter and his hunting. A knowledge of 

 the science of hunting and the habits of the quarry 

 can be picked up by those who have leisure to 



study the subject afield, but there are others whose 



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