THE OTTER. 



383 



near the water as possible, so that in case of a sudden alarm the mother Otter may 

 plunge into the stream together with her young family, and find a refuge among the 

 vegetation that skirts the river banks. The number of the young is from three to five, 

 and they make their appearance about March or April. 



Although at the present day the custom of Otter-hunting has necessarily fallen into 

 disuse, it sometimes occurs that a stray Otter is discovered in some stream, and is in 

 consequence the subject of continual annoyances until it finally falls under the han^s 

 of its persecutors. When attacked, the Otter is a fierce and desperate fighter, biting 

 and snapping with the most deadly energy, and never yielding as long as life remains 

 within the body. The bite of an angry Otter is extremely severe ; for the creature has 

 a habit of biting most savagely, and then shaking its head violently, as if it were trying 

 to kill a rat. There are few dogs which can conquer an Otter in fair fight, and the 

 combat is genarally ended by the spear of one of the hunters. Even when transfixed 

 with the deadly weapon, the Otter gives no sign of yielding, but furiously bites the 

 staff, sullen and silent to the last. 



OTTER. Lutra vulgaris. 



The track which the Otter makes upon the bank is easily distinguishable from that of 

 any other animal, on account of the " seal," or impression, which is made by a certain 

 round ball on the sole of the foot. On account of the powerfully-scented secretion with 

 which the Otter is furnished by nature, it is readily followed by dogs, who are always 

 eager after the sport, although they may not be very willing to engage in single fight with 

 so redoubtable an opponent. An Otter has been known to turn savagely upon a dog that 

 was urged to attack it, to drag it into the water, and to drown it. The best dogs for the 

 purpose are said to be the Otterhounds, which have already been mentioned on page 301. 

 Even human foes are resisted with equal violence. On one occasion, an Otter was hard 

 pressed in the water, and endeavored to escape into an open drain, when it was prevented 

 from carrying out its purpose by one of the hunters, who grasped it by the tail, and tried 

 to force it into the water. The aggrieved animal twisted itself sharply round, and made 

 so savage a snap at its antagonist's hand that it severed the end of his thumb at a single 



