342 THE COMMON OTTER. 



is no current, and on the smaller fish ; for it would 

 be impossible to force the large ones out of deep 

 water *. The Otter is as noxious in a fish-pond, as 

 the Polecat in a hen-roost ; he frequently kills more 

 fish than he can eat, and then carries off but one in 

 his teeth. 



The female produces four or five young at a birth, 

 and these in the spring of the year. Where there 

 have been ponds near a gentleman's house, instan- 

 ces have occurred of their littering in cellars or 

 drains. — The mail utters no noise when taken, but 

 the pregnant females emit a shrill squeak '|~. — Ot- 

 ters are generally caught in traps placed near their 

 landing places, and carefully concealed in the sand. 

 When hunted with Dogs, the old ones defend them- 

 selves with great obstinacy. They bite severely, and 

 do not readily quit their hold where they have once 

 fistened. An old Otter will never yield while it has 

 life ; nor make the least complaint, though wounded 

 ev^er so much by the Dogs, nor even when trans- 

 fixed v/ith a spear. 



In the northern parts of America, these animals 

 change their colour in winter to white, like most of 

 the other Arctic animals ; and ir is not till very late 

 in the spring that they resume their brown summer 

 dress. 



The flesh is exceedingly rank and fishy ; so much 

 so, that the Romish Church permitted the use of it 

 on maigre-days. In the kitchen of the Carthusian 

 convent near Dijon, Mr. Pennant saw one of thenx 



* Cturch. t Brit. Zool. i. 95. 



