HABITS OF THE COMMON OTTER. 307 



■ 



tured in a rabbit-warren, whither it had evidently wandered with the intention of feeding on 

 the rabbits. 



For the pursuit of its tinny prey, the Otter is admirably adapted by nature. The body is 

 lithe and serpentine ; the feet are furnished with a broad web that connects the toes, and is of 

 infinite service in propelling the animal through the water ; the tail is long, broad, and flat, 

 proving a powerful and effectual rudder by which its movements are directed ; and the short, 

 powerful legs are so loosely jointed that the animal can turn them in almost any direction. 

 The hair which covers the body and limbs is of two kinds, the one a close, fine, and soft fur, 

 which lies next the skin and serves to protect the animal from the extremes of heat and cold, 

 and the other composed of long, shining, and coarser hairs, which permit the animal to glide 

 easily through the water. The teeth are sharp and strong, and of great service in preventing 

 the slippery prey from escaping. 



The color of the Common Otter also varies slightly according to the light in which it is 

 viewed, but is generally of a rich brown tint, intermixed with whitish-gray. This color is 

 lighter along the back and the outside of the legs than on the other parts of the body, which 

 are of a paler grayish hue. Its habitation is made in the bank of the river which it frequents, 

 and is rather inartificial in its character, as the creature is fonder of occupying some natural 

 crevice or deserted excavation than of digging a burrow for itself. The nest of the Otter 

 is composed of dry rushes, flags, or other aquatic plants, and is purposely placed as near the 

 water as possible, so that in case of a sudden alarm the mother Otter may plunge into the 

 stream together with her young family, and find a refuge among the vegetation that skirts the 

 river banks. The number of the young is from three to five, and they make their appearance 

 about March or April. 



Although at the present day the custom of Otter-hunting has in most parts of Europe 

 necessarily fallen into disuse, it sometimes occurs that a stray Otter is discovered in some 

 stream, and is in consequence the subject of continual annoyances until it finally falls under 

 the hands of its persecutors. When attacked, the Otter is a fierce and desperate fighter, 

 biting and snapping with the most deadly energy, and never yielding as long as life remains 

 within the body. The bite of an angry Otter is extremely severe ; for the creature has a habit 

 of biting most savagely, and then shaking its head violently, as if it were trying to kill a rat. 

 There are few dogs which can conquer an Otter in fair fight, and the combat is generally ended 

 by the spear of one of the hunters. Even when transfixed with the deadly weapon, the Otter 

 gives no sign of yielding, but furiously bites the staff, sullen and silent to the last. 



The track which the Otter makes upon the bank is easily distinguishable from that of any 

 other animal, on account of the "seal," or impression, which is made by a certain round ball 

 on the sole of the foot. On account of the powerfidly-scented secretion with which the Otter 

 is furnished by nature, it is readilly followed by dogs, who are always eager after the sport, 

 although they may not be very willing to engage in single fight with so redoubtable an oppo- 

 nent. An Otter has been known to turn savagely upon a dog that was urged to attack it, to 

 drag it into the water, and to drown it. The best dogs for the purpose are said to be the 

 Otterhounds, which have already been mentioned on page 237. Even human foes are resisted 

 with equal violence. On one occasion, an Otter was hard pressed in the water, and endeavored 

 to escape into an open drain, when it was prevented from carrying out its purpose by one of 

 the hunters, who grasped it by the tail, and tried to force it into the water. The aggrieved 

 animal twisted itself sharply round, and made so savage a snap at its antagonist's hand that it 

 severed the end of his thumb at a single bite. When the Otter has once fairly fixed its teeth, 

 it cannot be forced to relinquish its grasp without the greatest difficulty ; and even when it is • 

 dead its jaws are said to retain their hold with unremitting firmness. When the animal is 

 hunted, it swims and dives with such singular agility that the only mode of effecting its cap- 

 ture is by watching its progress below the surface by means of the train of air-bubbles which 

 mark its course, and by forcing it to dive again before it has recovered its breath. By a 

 repetition of this manoeuvre the poor creature is wearied, and at last falls an unwilling prey. 



The fur of the Otter is so warm and handsome that it is in some request for commercial 

 purposes. The entire length of the animal is rather under three feet and a half, of which the 



