CHAPTER XV. 



*THE TAME OTTER. 



Oh! the gallant fisher's life, 



It is the best of any; 



"Tis full of pleasure, void of strife, 



And 'tis beloved by many. — Jo. Chalkhill. 



UNE can imagine the above song being jovially rolled 

 out by a rollicking otter, after a good day's bunting, just 

 as well as by Izaak Walton's old friend John Chalkhill; 

 for the otter is as fond of hunting in the water as any 

 hound is on land. He evidently hunts from the love of 

 it and not for the pot, for he eats a mere snack out of 

 each fish he catches, leaves it, and hunts for another. 

 Any one who has been much on the banks of rivers wljere 

 otters abound, will have seen many a fine fish little more 

 than tasted and left on the bank. Having watched five 

 full sized wild otters hunting together, calling cheerily to 

 each other in the water, gambolling on the sand together 

 for a minute or so, and then in again at a call, and go- 

 ing on calling cheerily again, shall I say laughing, chaffing, 

 and singing '^jolly dogs are we," as they went hunting down 

 the river together, I could not doubt they were thorough- 

 ly enjoying themselves, and following a propensity, a sport, 

 rather than working for their living. 



