SHOOTING, ETC. 163 



of ear, and shaggy coat round them, the animal must 

 be nearly two years old. I pulled the trigger, and 

 for a few seconds the large hole was filled with smoke. 

 As it cleared we both had our heads weU over the edge 

 peering anxiously in; and there lying, stretched on 

 the ground perfectly dead, was — not a bear but a 

 wretched colt ! I don't think I ever felt so taken 

 aback. The very last thing to expect to find under- 

 ground was such an animal. How did it get there ? 

 The noise I had heard was evidently the poor thing 

 neighing, which, coming from such a queer situation, 

 appeared like the half-laugh half-growl of a bear. I 

 suppose some mare had strayed away, and her poor 

 little colt had fallen into this old bear's retreat. 



While waiting for duck one evening by some open 

 water which adjoined a large extent of rice-fields, I was 

 amused watching an otter as he himted up and down 

 the pool. Sometimes he appeared to play, and forget for 

 a time his evening meal. At last, on passing close to 

 where I stood half concealed in the rushes, he got my 

 wind, and raising his body half out of the water, he 

 intently surveyed the strange and unusual sight of a 

 man seemingly doing nothing, but looking intently in 

 his direction. My retriever could not resist such 

 temptation any longer, and springing into the water, 

 almost on the spot where the otter was, swam about 



