THE OTTER AND SEAL 81 



The movements illustrated occupied two or 

 three seconds. 



In the first photograph (No. 2 in the illustra- 

 tions) the otter has spotted the fish above him 

 and has checked his progress by planting his 

 fore feet on the ground. The fish, after a few 

 rapid movements, as shown by the attitudes of 

 the animal, shot down under a stone on the left. 

 The otter now left the ground with a kick-off of 

 his hind legs and a downward swish of the 

 rudder, and finally scrambled on to his fish, as 

 shown in photograph No. 9. 



Fish are undoubtedly the favourite food of 

 the otter. Of fresh fish he much prefers the eel. 

 When my captive otters were shown eels they 

 at once became excited and their shyness to a 

 great extent disappeared. They also have a 

 partiality for trout and grayling, particularly the 

 latter, but no coarse fish comes amiss. Otters 

 also feed on frogs, and young birds and even 

 small animals are taken when fishing fails. 



Fond as I am of the otter, there is no gain- 

 saying the fact he takes a terrible toll of sizable 

 fish, and in a small stream a protracted visit from 

 a family will ruin the fishing. 



There is a general idea that the otter is a 



