200 Habits of the Otter. Chapt. xv. 



"giving up his day to watch a frog's dinner, so I had to 

 "leave the frog to his own devices, with the charitable 

 "wish that -good digestion might wait on appetite." — 

 H. S. Thomas. 



Habits of the Otter. — "Sir, — In your last issue Mr. H. S. 

 "Thomas requests more information upon otters. He tells 

 "us that, in a report now before the Madras Government, 

 "their destruction and that of crocodiles is proposed ! I 

 "think it is most probable that even the latter has been 

 "given us for some good purpose, but I know little of 

 "these creatures, though I once had one offered me as a 

 "pet, which I respectfully declined. My reason in saying 

 "that otters do more good than harm is this, that as they 

 "kill those fish which destroy spawn or young fry, you 

 "will always find that their presence indicates an increase 

 "of our best fish, such as trout, grayling, salmon, etc., 

 "which perhaps from their swiftness they seldom catch. 

 "The fish I generally find them kill are roach, dace, chub, 

 "loach, miller's thumbs, jack, and eels. I am of opinion, 

 "with others, that many of these fish take to the sides 

 "upon seeing their enemy, and that he surprises them 

 "under the banks, where they fondly imagine they are 

 "hidden from view and consequently safe. I believe they 

 "kill a considerable number of water-rats, and I know 

 "they catch water-hens: I have seen an otter of mine 

 "hunt one like a spaniel. Frogs they are particularly 

 "fond of, taking them at their spawning-places in spring, 

 "and in low damp meadows at other times. I grant they 

 "will ascend our streams after spawning fish, or visit 



