THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



hound — apparently smooth-coated — swimming an 

 otter in a river. On the farther bank are two 

 hounds, and two men. One of the latter is 

 transfixing the otter as it swims with a long- 

 handled, three-pronged spear. The other man is 

 apparently about to throw a similar kind of spear 

 at the otter, while holding in his left hand a second 

 spear with the ordinary type of single-bladed head. 

 On the near bank are two more men, and two 

 hounds. One of the latter appears to be rough- 

 coated, or at any rate broken-haired, the other 

 being a large, white, smooth-coated animal. This 

 hound is evidently a limer, as it is held in leash by 

 one of the men. The other man, armed with a 

 single-bladed spear, is stabbing the otter in the 

 hindquarters. 



It is apparent that in those early days the chief 

 use of the hounds was in finding the otter, and 

 once the latter was put down, the spears were 

 brought into play. In the chapter on the otter, it 

 says : " Men hunt at them with hounds by great 



mastery," and " men take them at other times in 



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