DOGS USED IN SPORT 33 



three hundred years old, but which show the writer 

 to be well informed on the subject, and a man of such 

 keen observation, that I venture to quote it in the 

 quaint, original language, hoping it may be interesting 

 to some of the " sportsmen " amongst my readers : 

 " The Otter is a beast well-knowne she feedeth on 

 fishe, and lyeth neareunto Ryvers, Brookes, Pooles, and 

 Fishpondes, or Weares. Hir lying in, commonly, is 

 under the roots of trees, and, sometymes, I have scene 

 them lying in a hollowe Tree, foure, or five, foote, 

 above the grounde. Even as a Foxe, Polcat, Wylde 

 Cat, or Badgerd, will destroye a Warren, so wyll the 

 Otter destroye all the Fishe in your Pondes, if she once 

 have founde the waye to them. She dyveth, and hunt- 

 eth, under the water, after a wonderfull mannere, so 

 that, no Fishe can escape hir, unlesse they be verie 

 great, and swyfte. A lytter of Otteres, will destroye 

 you, all the Fishe, in a Ryver, in two myles lengthe. 

 There is great cunninge, in the Hunting of them, as 

 shalle be saide in the next Chaptere; and also, it is 

 possible, to take them, under the Water, and by the 

 Ryver 's syde, both in trappes, and in snares, as you 

 may take a Hare, with hare-pypes, or such lyke 

 gynnes. Theye byte sore, and venomouslye, and de- 

 fende themselves stoutlye. I wyll not speake much 

 more of their nature, but, onely, that they are footed 

 lyke a Goose. I meane, they have a webbe betweene 

 theyr clawes, and have no heeles, but, onely, a rounde 

 balle, under theyr soale, of theyr foote, and theyr tracke 

 is called the ' Marke ' of an Otter, as we saye the 

 ' Slot ' of an Harte. An Otter, abydeth not muche, 



