32 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



that have to contend with such a wily, active, and re- 

 sourceful foe as the Otter, either on land, or where he 

 is still more " at home," in water, have to be pretty 

 " spry " if they would give a good account of him. Of 

 course, these hounds are usually kept in packs, and 

 do not, as a rule, enjoy much human company, except 

 connected with their training for their work, and the 

 exercise of it, but would be an ornament to any estab- 

 lishment, and, if I mistake not, were prime favourites 

 of his Royal Highness, the lamented Prince Consort, 

 whose ability as a sportsman, and taste as a connoisseur 

 of all relating to art and things beautiful, are well 

 known to his many admirers. I remember seeing the 

 engraving of a beautiful picture, I presume in the pos- 

 session of H. M. the Queen, either by Richard Ansdell, 

 R. A., or the late Frederick Tayler, R. W. S., showing 

 his Royal Highness in a rough, wide bottomed boat, 

 crossing a Highland loch, with a pack of these beautiful 

 hounds, some in the boat, some on the bank, and some 

 in the water, either just starting for, or just returning 

 from, an Otter hunt, and it impressed me very much. I 

 may say, that it is very usual to have some Dandies, 

 Skyes, or other Scottish terriers, associated with a pack 

 of Otter Hounds, to assist in dislodging the quarry, 

 when it takes refuge amongst the boulders and rocks, so 

 often met in the haunts of the graceful Otter. 

 The packs of these dogs are chiefly in Dumfrieshire, 

 Cumberland, Devon, and some parts of Wales, both 

 North and South. 



I have come across such a detailed account of the 

 Otter, and rules for hunting it, in a book more than 



