Chapt. xv. Vce victis! Whoo-who-o-oop I 195 



"its tail, amidst the loud and hearty whoo-whoo-ops ! of 

 "all present, the doubtful battle having lasted above half 

 "an hour. The fish, which proved to be a female, weighed 

 "20 lbs. 11 oz. and the weight of the otter (a female) and 

 '.'very like an English otter, is only 18 lbs. Thus ended 

 "as well-contested a battle as I ever witnessed, and a 

 "sight I would have gone any distance to have seen. 

 "Surely all true Englishmen must admire the bull-dog 

 "pluck of. this animal, and endorse Mr. Benson's senti- 

 "ments as given in your last impression, which clearly is 

 "that it is a disgrace in this enlightened age of progress 

 "and civilization to allow ignorant keepers and watchers 

 "to exterminate the poor otter. Otters will travel any 

 "distance, and I have no doubt that some of those which 

 "have lately been so cruelly murdered are from the Wey, 

 "in my neighbourhood, and consequently I particularly 

 "regret their loss, for I know they do much more good 

 "than harm, and this knowledge I have gained by study- 

 ing their habits for years, both in the wild and tame 

 "state. I have plenty of fish, and I cannot see that they 

 "diminish; and yet I am seldom without an otter or two, 

 "and sometimes a brood of them, for they are sacred here, 

 "as well as all rare birds, etc. Occasionally I find the 

 "remains of a small jack or an eel which they have caught 

 "and partly eaten. I know they scent these under water, and 

 "bring them up from the mud ; indeed they prefer them 

 "to every thing. Then they are very fond of frogs, and 

 "they will kill water-rats, wal^r-hens, and even rabbits 

 "occasionally. They certainly seldom kill large fish in 



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