DECEMBER 307 



has imbibed a more intense distrust of man than the 

 otter, and none, except the badger, succeeds so well in 

 escaping observation. Although I have spent — serious 

 people will say wasted — much of a long life beside 

 many waters, only twice have I had the good fortune 

 of watching an otter unobserved. Once, when I was 

 fishing the Haly Weil at Bemersyde on the Tweed, and 

 once a few months ago on the Sanctuary Loch at 

 Monreith. It was a dark December day, drizzling 

 and windless, when, as I passed along the lake-side, I 

 noticed what I took for a log floating motionless on the 

 calm water about forty yards from the shore. Presently, 

 however, the log began to move, and revealed itself 

 as an otter swimming straight towards me. Slipping 

 behind the trunk of a big beech, I watched the beauti- 

 ful, lithe creature as it came ashore within a few yards 

 of my hiding-place. 



The plate herewith represents my fair neighbour Miss 

 Holms, who has reared an otter from babyhood, and 

 educated it as a docile and elegant pet. 



Of the order Garnivora, nine terrestrial species once 

 roamed in Galloway, whereof five must now be written 

 off as extinct, namely, the wolf, the true wild-cat, the 

 pine-marten, the badger or brock, and the polecat or 

 foumart. Four species remain — the fox, the stoat, the 

 weasel, and the otter. Of marine Garnivora we may 

 still reckon the common seal (Phoca vitulina) as 

 resident on our coast, and the grey seal {Halichoerua 

 grypus) as an occasional visitor. 



