138 THE OTTER. 



some natural cause, yet in its latter days there 

 were no signs of senile decline. A large dog-otter 

 shot in the Wharfe showed signs of considerably 

 advanced years. His mask was almost white ; one 

 of his corner-teeth was broken ; his eyes bore 

 evidence of declining sight. With only guess- 

 work to go on, I should say that sixteen years 

 is the average life of this creature, and at eighteen 

 years senile decay is far advanced. 



WEIGHT AND SIZE. 



What was considered a record otter, killed in 

 Kirkcudbrightshire, on the Dee, in the winter of 

 1918, weighed 42 Ib. ; 18-22 Ib. appear to be the 

 average weights killed inland by hounds. In the 

 ' Kenmure Arms,' New Galloway, there is a stuffed 

 otter that must scale fully 45 Ib. The tip-to-tip 

 measurement is generally about 42 inches ; tail, 

 16 inches. 



