158 FAMILIAR LIFE IN FIELD AND FOREST. 



Audubon tells of otters wliicli he had seen so perfectly 

 tamed and trained that they never failed to come like 

 dogs when whistled for, crawling slowly and with ap- 

 parent humility toward their master. He also recites 

 his own experience in taming several otters, which 

 eventually he had the pleasure of romping with in his 

 study. They were captiired when quite young, and 

 became as gentle as puppies in two or three days; 

 they preferred milk and boiled Indian meal to fish 

 or meat, and would not touch these last until they 

 were several mouths old. The animals are not only 

 easily tamed and domesticated, but it is said that they 

 are taught to catch and bring home fish to their 

 masters ; they are taught to fetch and carry exactly 

 as dogs are, and in the beginning a leather fish stuffed 

 with wool is employed for the purpose ; they are 

 afterward exercised with a dead fish, and chastised if 

 they disobey or attempt to tear it ; finally 

 they are sent into the water after a live 

 one.* 



The peculiar formation of the nose 

 The otter's pg^^ about an inch long in full-grown 



nose pad. ^ o cj 



otters, is the admirable means whereby 

 the animal is enabled to dive and swim under water 

 without inconvenience to the breathing organs. I 



* Bell's Quadrupeds. 



