the pictures, and perhaps climb up to right paw, and sucking his left one ; and 

 examine them the more closely. Should his faithful wife keeping watch over him. 

 he happen to set a rocking chair in mo- A tame Otter is easily taught useful 

 tion he will back away and watch it cu- tricks,, as well as the more amusing ones, 

 riously. When the motion stops, he will Fishing, which comes natural to him, 

 creep up to it sideways and cautiously can be turned to some account, by watch- 

 give it another tap, so as to see if he ing him when he comes out of the lake 

 can "do the trick" again. His delight or river. If he has a fish; take it from 

 at his success is then evidenced by a naive him and substitute some preferred tid- 

 twi sting about of his head, and the bit. In this, way he can soon be taught 

 wrinkling of his nose. He will keep a to go fishing for his master. Sometimes 

 close watch on the chair, and the mo- he may be sent after wood, and though 

 ment it shows signs of stopping, he will he can bring but one stick at a time in his 

 walk up and tap it again. After a long mouth, he will kee;> at it until he is told 

 time he thinks that perhaps he has made to desist. 



the thing go often enough, and he turns He takes an especial delight in rocking 

 away, but the charm of the chair proves the baby. He will assume all manner of 

 irresistible, so he goes back and amuses postures in his endeavors to find the one 

 himself with it a while longer. which makes the task the easier ; gen- 

 Should a guitar or other like instru- erally he decides by lying on his back 

 ment be placed on the floor, and the and pushing the cradle to and fro with 

 Otter happens to brush it with his paws his paws, by reaching up on the under 

 or his tail so as to produce a sound, his side of it. For this reason the cradle 

 expression is one of astonishment, and must be made low enough so he can 

 he will watch the instrument as though reach it. Usually the hind paws are 

 expecting an attack. As nothing of this employed in this labor and when one paw 

 sort happens, he walks about it sniffing gets tired, he uses the other. Sometimes 

 it, as though trying to determine "the na- he will stop rocking, apparently waiting 

 ture of the beast." Finding that a too to hear if the baby is asleep, then at the 

 puzzling problem for him to solve, he hits first whimper, he will dutifully corn- 

 it again forcibly and determinedly, as mence rocking again, 

 though 'giving it a dare to come out and It is hard to find an animal which 

 show its mettle. When this, too, pro- learns to love its master with truer and 

 vokes no other sign but that given by more intelligent affection than does the 

 sound, he walks away, and ever after Otter. He will come up and beg to be 

 leaves it alone — as a creature altogether petted, and he also delights in seeing his 

 beneath his notice. mate receive caresses ; but he has also a 

 On a fur rug he will roll and tumble jealous streak in him, and this is shown 

 about in play just like a kitten. His skin when his master pushes him away and 

 is so flexible that in his gamboling he caresses some pet other than one of his 

 often seems to turn himself completely own kind. 



over in it. His frolicking on the rug Though it is found in warm climates, 



will gradually become less and less ex- the Otter dislikes the direct rays of the 



erting, until finally, like a tired child, he sun, and will not go across a yard in the 



will curl himself up and go to sleep on sunlight, even for food, but will skirt 



it. Now if the Otter is young, he will, around in the shade of buildings or 



in going to sleep, suck his paw, like some trees. 



babies do their thumbs. Even when Some writers say that the Otter is 

 grown, the male retains this habit ; and awkward ; this is a mistake. In the wild 

 his rrfate will sit quietly beside him, wait- state he is graceful ; and when first cap- 

 ing for him to get up for another frolic. tured he is awkward only until he be- 

 An interesting sight is this gentleman as comes accustomed to, and gains the con- 

 he lies there with his head resting on his fidence of man. 



"Mary Stratner. 



73 



