COMMON OTTER. 439 
admission of air: it is farther observed^ that this 
animal, the more effectually to conceal its retreat, 
contrives to make even this little air-hole in the 
midst of some thick bush." Though the principal 
food of the Otter consists of fish, yet it is said that 
in hard weather, when this its natural prey fails, 
it will attack the smaller quadrupeds, as well as 
poultry, &c. The Otter is naturally a very fierce 
animal, and when hunted with dogs, as is some- 
times the practice, will inflict very severe Avounds 
on its antagonists. The female produces four or 
five young at a birth: this commonly happens 
early in the spring. The young Otters, if taken 
at a ver}^ early age, may be successfully tamed, 
and taught by degrees to hunt for fish, and bring 
them to their master. This taming of Otters 
and employing them in fishing is mentioned 
by Aldrovandus (from Albertus Magnus) as a 
circumstance familiarly known, and more espe- 
cially, according to Albertus, in Sweden, where 
he tells us that, in the houses of the great, these 
animals were kept for that purpose, and would 
go out, at a signal from the cook, catch fish, and 
bring it into the kitchen in order to be dressed 
for dinner! ! ! . 
The Count de Buffon, in his description of the 
Otter, given in the 7th volume of his Natural 
History, seems inclined to doubt the reality of 
the Otter s having ever been properly tamed, so 
as to be rendered serviceable in fishing ; but later 
experience has proved this to be perfectly prac- 
ticable. An Otter thus tamed has followed its 
