204 Smallness of gullet. Chapt. xv. 



"as a shilling, or noticed any exertion or movement of 

 "the throat in swallowing. On the contrary, I have fre- 

 "quently noticed him try, when hungry and greedy, to 

 "swallow too large a piece, and so nearly choke, when 

 "the piece is brought up again and eaten as I before 

 "described, almost by suction. In the same way he deals 

 "with a bone, or rabbit's leg. As he eats nothing but 

 "what he takes from my hand, and as I handle him the 

 "whole tjme, I have had good opportunities of watching 

 "him. I merely write this from having noticed your re- 

 "marks about the cast you made of the otter's gullet; 

 "because, if there is any further information I can afford 

 "you about otters or their ways, I shall be most happy 

 "to do so, while I have so good an opportunity as I have 

 "now. My last is about two-thirds grown, and a fine dog 

 "otter. I hope to do. great things with him in the fishing 

 "line." — Gerald, Lascelles. 



The smallness of the otter's gullet may possibly be in 

 connection with some arrangement for enabling it to 

 close its throat when opening its mouth under water to 

 catch and hold a fish. Some such provision it must re- 

 quire to save it from drowning. 



The more thoroughly to convince my reader of the 

 practicability of utilizing the otter for. sport I add still 

 another extract, which is taken from "The English Cyclo- 

 paedia." 



"But it must not be supposed that the common otter 

 "is, as it has been asserted, confined to the fresh waters. 

 "They are known to frequent the sea in the north of 



