HABITS OF THE COMMON OTTER. 307 
tured in a rabbit-warren, whither it had evidently wandered with the intention of feeding on 
the rabbits. 
For the pursuit of its finny prey, the Otter is admirably adapted by nature. The body is 
lithe and serpentine ; the feet are furnished with a broad web that connects the toes, and is of 
infinite service in propelling the animal through the water ; the tail is long, broad, and flat, 
proving a powerful and effectual rudder by which its movements are directed ; and the short, 
powerful legs are so loosely jointed that the animal can turn them in almost any direction. 
The hair which covers the body and limbs is of two kinds, the one a close, fine, and soft fur, 
which lies next the skin and serves to protect the animal from the extremes of heat and cold, 
and the other composed of long, shining, and coarser hairs, which permit the animal to glide 
easily through the water. The teeth are sharp and strong, and of great service in preventing 
the slippery prey from escaping. 
The color of the Common Otter also varies slightly according to the light in which it is 
viewed, but is generally of a rich brown tint, intermixed with whitish-gray. This color is 
lighter along the back and the outside of the legs than on the other parts of the body, which 
are of a paler grayish hue. Its habitation is made in the bank of the river which it frequents, 
and is rather inartificial in its character, as the creature is fonder of occupying some natural 
crevice or deserted excavation than of digging a burrow for itself. The nest of the Otter 
is composed of dry rushes, flags, or other aquatic plants, and is purposely placed as near the 
water as possible, so that in case of a sudden alarm the mother Otter may plunge into the 
stream together with her young family, and find a refuge among the vegetation that skirts the 
river banks. The number of the young is from three to five, and they make their appearance 
about March or April. 
Although at the present day the custom of Otter-hunting has in most parts of Europe 
necessarily fallen into disuse, it sometimes occurs that a stray Otter is discovered in some 
stream, and is in consequence the subject of continual annoyances until it finally falls under 
the hands of its persecutors. When attacked, the Otter is a fierce and desperate fighter, 
* biting and snapping with the most deadly energy, and never yielding as long as life remains 
within the body. The bite of an angry Otter is extremely severe ; for the creature has a habit 
of biting most savagely, and then shaking its head violently, as if it were trying to kill a rat. 
There are few dogs which can conquer an Otter in fair fight, and the combat is generally ended 
by the spear of one of the hunters. Even when transfixed with the deadly weapon, the Otter 
gives no sign of yielding, but furiously bites the staff, sullen and silent to the last. 
The track which the Otter makes upon the bank is easily distinguishable from that of any 
other animal, on account of the “seal,” or impression, which is made by a certain round ball 
on the sole of the foot. On account of the powerfully-scented secretion with which the Otter 
is furnished by nature, it is readilly followed by dogs, who are always eager after the sport, 
although they may not be very willing to engage in single fight with so redoubtable an oppo- 
nent. An Otter has been known to turn savagely upon a dog that was urged to attack it, to 
drag it into the water, and to drown it. The best dogs for the purpose are said to be the 
Otterhounds, which have already been mentioned on page 237. Even human foes are resisted 
with equal violence. On one occasion, an Otter was hard pressed in the water, and endeavored 
to escape into an open drain, when it was prevented from carrying out its purpose by one of 
the hunters, who grasped it by the tail, and tried to force it into the water. The aggrieved 
animal twisted itself sharply round, and made so savage a snap at its antagonist’s hand that it 
severed the end of his thumb at a single bite. When the Otter has once fairly fixed its teeth, 
it cannot be forced to relinquish its grasp without the greatest difficulty ; and even when it is 
dead its jaws are said to retain their hold with unremitting firmness. When the animal is 
hunted, it swims and dives with such singular agility that the only mode of effecting its cap- 
ture is by watching its progress below the surface by means of the train of air-bubbles which 
mark its course, and by forcing it to dive again before it has recovered its breath. By a 
repetition of this manoeuvre the poor creature is wearied, and at last falls an unwilling prey. 
The fur of the Otter is so warm and handsome that it is in some request for commercial 
purposes. The entire length of the animal is rather under three feet and a half, of which the 
