202 Eel catching hy Otter. Chapt. xv. 



"used to take him out in a boat, on a pond, and repeat 

 "the same thing in very deep water, where I knew the 

 "bait would enter the mud at the bottom; but the otter, 

 "diving in circles (which they always do in deep water), 

 "never failed to find and bring it up. In order to show 

 "how easily they can take eels, and how much they must 

 "live upon them, I will conclude by relating what my 

 "otter once did in the river Wharfe, in Yorkshire. At 

 "a turn in the river, below Mr. Scot's seat, Woodhall, the 

 "water had formed a sand-bank, which did not appear 

 "above the surface, but could be plainly seen when the 

 "water was clear. Upon arriving opposite this place, the 

 "otter dived directly for the sand-bank, and I could see 

 "he intended mischief, for his shovel-shaped head was im- 

 "mediately driven well home into the mud; then I could 

 "perceive that 'Chifney -rush' which tells one that the 

 "quarry is close, and then up he came with such a large 

 "eel that it lapped round his thick neck. As eels can be 

 "scented under water in the mud their capture becomes 

 "all the more certain, because they must be caught 'nap- 

 "ping' and have no chance to escape by swimming. No 

 "doubt, the long stiff whiskers of the otter are of use: 

 "probably they both convey scent to the nose and serve 

 "to tickle and so quiet the fish under a bank until a 

 "steady rush is made at it. I am puzzled, however, to 

 "find a use for certain bristles on the inside of the fore- 

 legs of otters, near the knee, which are not generally 

 "known. Any light on this subject will be thankfully 

 "received." — F. H. Salvin. 



