THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



started. With him the southern hound has only 



failed from lack of constitution, which is injured 



by too much swimming." 



Mr Hill used terriers of Welsh breed, which he 



got from the kennels of Mr Ramsay Williams, 



after the latter's death. These terriers weighed 



about 15 lb., and were bred as flat-sided as 



possible to enable them to squeeze into narrow 



places. They were fairly long on the leg, and 



were used for bolting fox, otter, marten, and 



foumart. Mr Hill's principal river was the Tyne, 



flowing through Haddingtonshire. Speaking of 



the South Esk, The Druid says : " Last August it 



was the scene of a very remarkable run, as the 



otter only touched the water twice for a few 



minutes throughout a run of eight or nine miles, 



and was eventually pulled down in the heart of one 



of the East Lothian fox-whins." Regarding a 



long drag with Mr Hill's hounds, The Druid says : 



" In '62 the hounds hit upon one at the Clutby 



Dam reservoir on the north side of the Pentlands, 



and hunted him through the sheep-drains right 



142 



