THE OTTER AND SEAL 77 



sion ; I will take this opportunity of giving two 

 instances of combined action by otters as related 

 to me by a friend who spent many years in 

 India. On one occasion he was lying on a 

 backwater of the Ganges in order to shoot 

 crocodiles; this backwater was about two hun- 

 dred feet wide and some two miles in length. 

 Presently he heard the whistling of several 

 otters, and then saw six or seven swimming down 

 abreast right across the water. They continued 

 to whistle to each other for a time, and then, as 

 if at some given signal, all dived below the sur- 

 face, to reappear again practically simultaneously 

 farther on. This method of fishing was con- 

 tinued the whole length of the backwater, and 

 in this manner the fish were driven to the end. 

 Every now and then one of their number caught 

 a rahu — a carp of 6 lb. to 8 lb. in weight. 

 The otter that had made the capture fell out of 

 the line and took his fish ashore, while the others 

 continued to advance. On the bank the animal 

 devoured a portion of the fish and then rapidly 

 rejoined his comrades. 



The remains of any carp left in this manner 

 were not wasted, for up in the air the Brahmini 

 kite, commonly known as the fish-hawk, fol- 



