OTTER'S HAUNTS AND HABITS 



not travel half as fast as a salmon under water. 

 In low water a single otter can tire out or corner a 

 salmon in a pool, but evidence leads us to believe 

 that otters often work together, one driving the 

 salmon about, while the other keeps watch on the 

 shallows. On all rivers there are places where fish 

 can be more or less cornered when the water is at 

 normal level, and of course when it is very low in 

 time of drought, salmon and other fish are practi- 

 cally pool-bound, and thus fall victims to otters 

 and other predaceous creatures. It is pretty safe 

 to say that an otter — like a pike, or a cannibal 

 trout — ^will go for any fish which appears to be 

 weak or in difficulty. A spinning lure — such as 

 a spoon that wobbles instead of turning truly — is 

 often far more attractive than one that spins " like 

 a streak of silver." 



In the Field of June 5th, 1920, there is an 

 account of an otter attacking a hooked salmon. 

 The writer of the account says, " While I was play- 

 ing a salmon on the Teify on Friday, May 21st, 



an otter made two attempts to get at him, and 



57 



