COMMON OTTER. 171 



out. Again the trap was brought into requisition, and 

 placed under water as before, in such a position that 

 it was supposed the Otter would make use of it as a 

 stepping-stone, when going into or out of the water. 

 However, it proved, as on the former occasion, to be a 

 failure, and the trap, remaining undisturbed, was after a 

 time removed to the run itself and carefully covered, 

 and on the following day was found to contain a female 

 Otter, weighing 14 lbs. A few days later another was 

 similarly captured, and at the same spot ; a male, weigh- 

 ing 18 lbs. We had often heard from the Avon fisher- 

 men that the Otter was always observed to travel over 

 rather than under or around anything, when passing up 

 or down stream, and our own observation in the instance 

 just given confirms their statement. It is also asserted 

 by these men that an Otter will often travel many miles 

 in a single night ; and to this statement, too, we can add 

 our own testimony, having on one occasion tracked one 

 for several miles in the snow, sometimes on one side of 

 the stream, and sometimes on the other ; and occasionally 

 it appeared to have proceeded for a distance of a quarter 

 of a mile in the water, though apparently not for the 

 purpose of securing food, as it had evidently emerged 

 from the water, and at once passed on, on its way. 



It is asserted by some that the Otter confines its haunts 

 to the rivers and lakes, never descending to the sea. 

 This, however, is a mistake. In the northern parts of 

 Scotland they certainly frequent the sea, and extend their 

 rambles to a considerable distance from the shore; and 

 Mr. Couch, of Polperro, states that " in the summer, and 

 when the weather will permit, it occupies a retired and 

 quiet station where the land stretches into the ocean. 

 It swims low in the water, and will go a mile or more 

 after its prey. The neighbourhood of a populous har- 



Z 2 



