NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 
‘The lair of the otter is amongst the dense bushes, 
reeds, or brushwood at the margins of the rivers, 
ponds, &c. If the banks are rocky, it sometimes 
takes refuge under ledges of rock, or in cavities. 
They do not excavate holes. 
Otters are often seen in parties of from three to 
five, and it has been assumed they associate for 
hunting purposes. ‘This may at times be the case, 
but I have frequently watched otters, while lying 
unobserved, and always either saw them singly, in 
pairs, or a pair with from two to three cubs. The 
cubs remain with the parents till nearly adult, if 
the locality affords sufficient sustenance for all. If 
not, the cubs are driven off to a distance. In any 
case, when adult, they mate and seek out a hunting- 
ground and set up housekeeping on their own 
account. 
Returning home late one moonlight night in 
Natal, I surprised a pair of otters, and three half- 
grown cubs, in a clay pit containing muddy water. 
‘They were busily engaged hunting frogs (Rana), 
and the tongueless species (Xenopus levis). On 
observing me, they clambered up the rather steep 
sides of the pit and made off through the grass to 
an adjacent spruit, a distance of over a hundred 
yards. 
In spite of the feet being nearly destitute of webs, 
the Cape Otter is an excellent swimmer. It glides 
silently through the water with the upper part of 
the head visible ; occasionally the ridge of the back 
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