FAIR PLAY FOR THE OTTER 



To champion the cause of the hated and much maligned 

 otter is a thankless task, and I quite anticipate a good 

 rating at the hands of devotees of the rod. Ah, well, 

 perchance I shall survive the ordeal ! I would, however, 

 mention that the statements anent the otter contained 

 herein are based upon practical knowledge, gained 

 during years of close and careful observation and study 

 of the habits of this most interesting species of our native 

 fauna in his natural habitat. 



In the first place, what is an otter? That doughty 

 knight of immortal fame, Sir John Falstaff, during a 

 heated tavern argument once likened his worthy hostess 

 to one of those animals, much to the disgust of the 

 lady. 



" An otter ! Why an otter, Sir John ? " asked Merry 

 Prince Hal, who happened to be of the audience. 



" Because," replied the weighty knight, " she is 

 neither fish, flesh, nor fowl ; a man knows not where 

 to have her." 



A short time ago we read in a certain Scottish 

 newspaper a wonderful and fearful description of 

 an otter-hunt, in the course of which the quarry was 

 repeatedly spoken of as the " fierce and bloodthirsty 

 amphibian." 



Now, although of amphibious habits, the otter belongs 



175 



