COMMON OTTER. 
387 
as this animal has longer lungs than most other 
quadrupeds, upon taking in a quantity of air, it 
can remain for some minutes at the bottom; and 
whatever fish passes over at that time is certainly 
taken ; for as the eyes of fish are placed so as not 
to see under them, the otter attacks them off their 
guard from below ; and, seizing them at once by 
the belly, drags them on shore, where it often 
leaves them untouched, to continue the pursuit for 
hours together. The other method is chiefly prac- 
tised in lakes and ponds, where there is no cur- 
rent ; the fish thus taken are rather of the smaller 
kind, forthe great ones will never be driven out of 
deep water. 
In this manner, the otter usually lives during 
the summer, being furnished with a supply much 
greater than its consumption ; killing for its 
amusement, and infecting the edges of the lake 
with quantities of dead fish, which it leaves there 
as trophies rather of its victory than its necessities,, 
Butin winter, when ihe kikes are frozen over, and 
the rivers pour with a rapid torrent, the otter is 
often greatly distressed for provisions ; and is then 
obliged to live upon grass, weeds, and even the 
bark of trees. It then comes upon land, and^ 
grown courageous from necessity, feeds upon ter« 
restrial animals, rats, insects, and even sheep them- 
selves. Nature, however, has given it the power 
of continuing a long time without food ; and al- 
though, during that season, it is not rendered quite 
torpid, like the marmot or the dormouse, yet it 
keeps much within its retreat, which is usually the 
hollow of a bank, worn under by the water. 
There it often forms a kind of gallery, running for 
several yards along the edge of the water ; so 
that when attacked at one end, it flies to the other* 
and ofteu evades the pursuer by plunging into tfo$ 
