The Otter. 
67 
farin-yards, where he will attack the poultry, sucking- 
pigs, and even lambs. An Otter may be tamed, and 
taught to catch fish enough to sustain not only himself, 
but a whole family. Goldsmith states, that he saw 
an Otter go to a gentleman's pond at the word of com- 
mand, drive the fish into a corner, and seize upon the 
largest of the whole, bring it off, and give it to his 
master. 
Bewick, in his History of Quadrupeds, states, that a 
person of the name of Collins, who lived at Kilmerston, 
near Wooler, in Northumberland, had a tame Otter, 
which followed him wherever he went. He frequently 
took it to fish in the river ; and, when satiated, it never 
failed to return to him. One day, in the absence of 
Collins, the Otter, being taken out to fish by his son, in- 
stead of returning as usual, refused to come at the accus- 
tomed call, and was lost. The father tried every means 
in his power to recover the animal ; and, after several 
days' search, being near the place where his son had 
lost it, and calling it by name, to his inexpressible joy 
it came creeping to his feet, and showed many marks of 
affection and attachment. 
The female Otter produces four or five young ones at 
a birth, and these in the spring of the year. Where 
there have been ponds near a gentleman's house, in- 
stances have occurred of their littering in cellars or 
