338 THE COMMON OTTER. 



may, if taken young and properly educated, be 

 completely tamed. The training of them, however, 

 requires both assiduity and perseverance : but their 

 activity and use, when taught, sufficiently repay 

 this trouble ; and few animals are more beneficial 

 to their masters. The usual method is first to teach 

 them to fetch, in the same way as Dogs ; but, as 

 they have not an equal docility, so it requires more 

 art and experience to instruct them. It is usually 

 performed by accustoming them to take in their 

 mouths a truss made of leather, and stuffed with 

 wool, of the shape of a fish ; to drop it at a word of 

 command ; to run after it when thrown forward, and 

 to bring it to their master. Real fish are next employ- 

 ed ; which are thrown dead into the water, and which 

 they are taught to fetch from thence. From dead fish 

 they are led to living ones, till at last they are per- 

 fectly instructed in the whole art of fishing. An Ot- 

 erthus educated, is very valuable ; he will catch fish 

 enough to sustain not only himself but a whole fa- 

 mily. " I have seen (says Dr. Goldsmith, from 

 whom this informadon is taken) an Otter go to a 

 gentleman's pond at the word of command, drive 

 the fish into a corner, and, seizing upon the larg- 

 est of the whole, bring it off, in his mouth, to Ins 

 master *." 



A person of the name of Collins, who lived at 

 Kilmerston, near Wooler, in Northumberland, had 

 a tame Otter, which follo\^ed him wherever he 

 went. He frequently took it to fish in the river; and 



* Gokbmith, iv. 14(3, 



