263 



THE OTTEE. 



THIS eccentric creature is so much hidden from notice, partly 

 owing to its resources for concealment lying both in land and 

 water, that its habits are not much observed, although it is "so 

 generally distributed throughout the three kingdoms. It excites 

 greater attention on the rocky coasts from being occasionally 

 hunted there. In the West Highlands, especially, many of 

 the resident proprietors pique themselves on the excellence of 

 their otter-terriers. Some few keep hounds for the purpose ; 

 but the terrier is a very good substitute in these wild districts, 

 and of course far more easily procured. 



A good otter-hunt is a very curious sight, and from being 

 able for the most part to see the dogs, and keep up with them, 

 the interest seldom flags. In the Lowlands and Border 

 counties of England, where otters are not so numerous, the 

 foumart is often hunted instead with otter-hounds. I was 

 told by a subscriber to a Cumberland otter-pack, that they 

 had once run a polecat twelve miles from the place where 

 they found his cold drag, and that a six or seven miles' chase 

 is nothing uncommon. It must have taken the foumart 

 nearly the whole night to have travelled this distance, and he 

 is generally snug in his retreat many hours before the hounds 

 are even laid on his track. A true otter-hound will, however, 

 catch the scent immediately, if his game has been on the 

 ground or in the river the previous night. The real breed, 



