THE OTTER IN THE LYD. 129 



allowed to run about the edges and go into the 

 water. Then he was brought back to his box, and 

 I unkennelled the terriers and cheered them on 

 the line. One day I showed the otter to old 

 Amber, and she went nearly wild as soon as she 

 saw him, and, taking me by surprise, dashed from 

 me and scrambled into his box, from which she was 

 with difficulty removed. After this you had only 

 to take Amber over the line and she would own it 

 and throw her tongue freely, and the rest would 

 join in instantly. As soon as I found all the 

 terriers understood that the otter was something: 

 to be hunted, I had the little fellow taken down to 

 the stream and set at liberty. Whether he went 

 back to the deep waters of the Stour, or we ever 

 found him again, I never knew. 



The first otter my terriers accounted for was on 

 May 7, 1889, when we met at Lydlinch. We drew 

 up to Berry Farm, where Nettle found an otter in 

 a drain that opened low down into the water. 

 When the otter tried to bolt into the water the 

 crowd on the opposite bank shouted and sent him 

 back on the terrier. At last the keeper succeeded 

 in pulling out Nettle, and I let in Racer. As the 

 otter was now facing the entrance, the two 

 collared one another instantly, and Kacer came 

 backwards out of the drain drawing the otter 

 after him. The pack was then let up and the 

 death-knell rung, every terrier going in with a 

 will, and from this time I do not think they ever 

 passed an otter over. 



I 



