62 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



marked the spot where the trout had been 

 devoured. 



The pool still held several fish, and these 

 inveterate hunters were loath to leave them, but 

 at last the mother went ashore, shook herself, 

 and commenced to roll on the shingle and rub 

 the back of her neck on the small stones, for 

 now that her hunger was satisfied she had time 

 to think of the irritation caused by the tics 

 attached to her skin where she could not reach 

 them with her teeth. Two of the cubs were 

 at play ; one moment they appeared to spar, 

 next instant, locked in a friendly embrace, they 

 rolled over and over like a ball into the water. 

 The third toyed with a fish like a cat plays with 

 a mouse, and time after time knocked it into 

 the stream, then dived in and fetched it out 

 again. But the frolicking of the cubs in the 

 water was too much for the other two, and 

 presently they were all at play in the pool. 

 Suddenly the old otter broke away and swam 

 ashore, shook herself, gave a half whine, half 

 whistle, and started upstream, and before she 

 was at the head of the pool the cubs were at her 

 heels. The mother led the way across two 

 meadows, past a pool — where the young otters 



