NOTES ON THE OTTER. 95 
from home when about ten weeks old, as few have I seen killed 
or have been reported to me as having been met with between 
the age of mere cubs and that of youngsters of about eight or ten 
pounds. There are exceptions naturally, but these may have 
been allowed to remain through late maturing or illness. 
The food of the Otter is supposed by many to be only fish, 
and that of the choicest kind; but this is a mistake, except in 
the case of Eels, which have been proved to be inveterate 
poachers of fish, particularly the spawn, and in these circum- 
stances many of our rivers containing Salmon and Trout, or even 
coarse fish, would now be destitute of fish-life—or perhaps I had 
better say nearly so—had it not been for the Otter. Frogs 
inhabit the greater number of our rivers, and it has been proved 
they will devour more fish in the ova stage in a few moments 
than an Otter would kill in a year. Now, it has also been proved 
that there are no creatures of which Otters are fonder than 
Frogs, and for which they will travel many miles. From my 
own knowledge of the fact I could quote many instances, but 
one will answer the purpose of a dozen. Once early one morn- 
ing I was passing through a wood standing on a hill to get 
some fishing on a river other than that I generally fished. As I 
approached the top of it I thought for a moment I saw a Fox 
creep across the path I was travelling, and at once the cry 
“Tally ho!” rose to my lips. But as the creature I had 
“‘oazed’’ came through the bushes out into the open space 
beyond, I saw it was an Otter. Immediately my curiosity was 
aroused as to what had brought it thus far from a river, nearly 
two miles, and on looking round saw there was a moderate-sized 
pond about fifty yards away. Going to the edge of the pool of 
water, I looked carefully round it, and within a few feet of me 
were the remains of a Frog, from which no doubt my approach 
had frightened it. This and other incidents seen by myself, and 
also those related to me by others, whose word was beyond doubt, 
have led me to know that where Frogs abound the Otter is the 
_ greatest protector the fish preservers can have. 
And again, as I have said, Hels are desperate poachers, not 
only of ova but even of the fry of fish, and of the truth of this I 
_ have had many optical lessons. It was one of these which first 
_ brought to my knowledge what a friend Otters were to the angler. 
