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diff --git a/old/52071-8.txt b/old/52071-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f4b92b9..0000000 --- a/old/52071-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3069 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Otter, by Richard Clapham - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Book of the Otter - A manual for sportsmen and naturalists - -Author: Richard Clapham - -Commentator: William Thompson - -Illustrator: F. Lees - Alfred Taylor - -Release Date: May 15, 2016 [EBook #52071] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE OTTER *** - - - - -Produced by Tom Cosmas and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -Transcriber Note - -Text emphasis is denoted as _Italics_. - - - - - -THE BOOK OF THE OTTER - -[Illustration: Otter Basking in Shallow Water. - - (_Copyright by Alfred Taylor, Whalley_). _Frontispiece._ -] - - - - - THE BOOK OF - THE OTTER - - _A MANUAL FOR SPORTSMEN AND - NATURALISTS_ - - BY - - RICHARD CLAPHAM - - AUTHOR OF - "FOX-HUNTING ON THE LAKELAND FELLS," - "ROUGH SHOOTING," ETC. - - _With Illustrations from Photographs by the Author - F. Lees and Alfred Taylor_ - - AND AN INTRODUCTION BY - WILLIAM THOMPSON, M.O.H. - - [Illustration] - - HEATH CRANTON, LIMITED - 6 FLEET LANE, LONDON, E.C.4. - - - - -PREFACE - - -In these days otter-hunting is a popular sport, and in consequence there -are now many more packs of otterhounds than was formerly the case. Of all -beasts of chase in this country, the otter is the one about which we know -least, for he is a great wanderer, a creature of the night, and therefore -difficult to study systematically. - -Of the many people who follow hounds, comparatively few understand the -science of hunting, or the habits of the creature which forms their -quarry. This is probably to some extent due to the fact that there are -very few books dealing exclusively with the otter and his hunting. A -knowledge of the science of hunting and the habits of the quarry can be -picked up by those who have leisure to study the subject afield, but -there are others whose opportunities of doing so are limited. It is, -therefore, in the hope of interesting and perhaps instructing the latter, -that we have written the following chapters. - - R. CLAPHAM. - - Troutbeck, - Windermere. - _April, 1922._ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAP. PAGE - - PREFACE 7 - - INTRODUCTION 13 - - I. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER 21 - - II. THE OTTER'S HAUNTS AND HABITS 42 - - III. OTTER-HUNTING, PAST AND PRESENT 73 - - IV. HOUNDS AND TERRIERS 112 - - V. REMINISCENCES 132 - - INDEX 157 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - OTTER BASKING IN SHALLOW WATER _Frontispiece_ - - _To face page_ - - OTTER TRACKS LEAVING WATER, WALKING 40 - - FURROW MADE BY OTTER IN DEEP SNOW 40 - - TUNNEL MADE BY OTTER IN SNOW 53 - - OTTER TRACKS IN SNOW, JUMPING 53 - - THE HUNTSMAN BRINGING HIS OTTER ASHORE 79 - - K. AND D.O.H. RETURNING TO THE MAIN RIVER 79 - - A KILL WITH THE K. AND D.O.H. 102 - - HI, WORRY, WORRY! 102 - - A FAMOUS OTTERHOUND, MR W. THOMPSON'S "SNOWDROP" 116 - - SOME OF MR W. THOMPSON'S ROUGH OTTERHOUNDS 116 - - K. AND D.O.H. MOVING OFF TO DRAW 139 - - GOING TO THE MEET BY FERRY ON LAKE WINDERMERE 139 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - - Beck House, - Giggleswick, - _Feb. 12th, 1922_. - -My Dear Clapham,--I am much flattered at your invitation to write an -introduction to your "Book of the Otter," and only wish I were a good -enough hand with the pen to do your most interesting book the justice it -deserves. - -If I were asked to find fault with your work I should say its only -failing was its brevity. And I would ask for a few more hunts and to -have them rather more elaborated. And if you could not only expound to -whips, either amateur or professional, how you do your own work as such -_but make them into whips as good as yourself thereby_ you would take -an enormous amount of worry and responsibility off many a huntsman's -shoulders. - -As you say in your letter to me, a book on such an interesting subject -is sure to create a friendly criticism, more particularly on such -controversial subjects as early meets versus late ones and pure-bred -otterhounds versus draft foxhounds. - -Admittedly you and I have always taken rather opposite views on these -two questions, so despite the very fair pros and cons you give these -respective arguments in your book, may I put in a further argument in -each case on behalf of hounds? - -Take early meets with a pack hunting three and four days a week. It is -only possible to have early meets in the hottest part of the year--say -middle of June to end of August in our North Country, and a rather longer -period with South and West Country packs. Say hounds meet at five a.m. -on four days in the week. Hounds may have to take anything from one to -two hours to get from kennels to the meet. The men are in kennel at -least an hour before the hunting pack turns out, so we know that hounds -get no rest after that hour, which is probably shortly after two a.m. -Hounds would normally be back in kennel after a day of this sort within -an hour or two of midday. For the rest of that day, apart from the -disturbance--to hounds--of ordinary kennel routine, they are unable to -get genuine rest on a hot summer's afternoon. The result is that after -a fortnight, or even a week of such work--and I have many instances in -my old hunting diaries of both--you get a jaded pack, a tired staff, and -a weary Master. And I have been unfortunate enough myself to have never -seen even a hunt before eight a.m. - -If anyone will guarantee to put hounds on to the line of a travelling -dog otter on a given day I would be there with hounds every time. But -otherwise, no thank you. - -As to otterhounds versus foxhounds, I am convinced that finance, or -rather the lack of it, is the only reason why draft foxhounds are -preferred to otterhounds. Otter-hunting is a poor man's sport, and few -people realise what it costs to run a pack and country. If you get a -Master to take a country he has very often spent enough out of his own -pocket when he has paid the difference between the subscription list and -the hunting expenses. And breeding hounds on a big scale adds enormously -to expenses. The result is that in nine cases out of ten the pack is -made up of draft dog foxhounds, and a very few rough-coated otterhounds. -An attempt may be made to breed a litter or two a year from the rough -otterhound bitches. Five or six puppies may be got out to walk, and three -or four left in kennel. As many of these as survive--possibly two and a -half or three couple--are brought on the following season, and unless -they are hopeless physical wrecks they are put into the pack to keep -up the theory that they are a pack of _otterhounds_. And good or bad -workers they are often kept on for this same purpose only. Under these -circumstances, and they are far from uncommon, no wonder the average -member of an otter-hunting field prefers the foxhound. Any M.O.H. can get -draft foxhounds, and frequently get them as a gift--hounds that have been -the best of fox-hunters and fox-catchers, but have got too slow or for -any of a dozen other reasons are unable to run up to the pace of a modern -foxhound pack. These draft hounds know all about hunting, and only want -entering to their new quarry to make most excellent otter-hunting hounds -at a minimum of expense and trouble. - -But if an M.O.H. breeds otterhounds on the same lines that foxhounds are -bred, breeds by selection, breeds each year enough puppies to get a big -enough young entry the following year--big enough not only to be able to -put down immediately any physical crock that may come in, but big enough -to allow for drafting a certain number--during and at the end of their -first season you can have, in my humble opinion, a pack of pure-bred -otterhounds, not only not inferior to, but superior to any pack of draft -foxhounds. I may appear too enthusiastic on this point--I am certainly -rather disappointed. I bought my first otterhounds in 1903. I started -breeding in 1905. In July, 1914, having for two or three years prior to -that date put over fifty puppies out to walk each year, I had just over -forty couple of pure-breed otterhounds in kennel. And I was hoping to -prove that before many more years passed my confidence in the otterhound -was not misplaced. But in 1919 I was reduced to under ten couple, and -circumstances have since prevented me continuing my experiment to -anything like the same extent. And I must say that I have never found the -otterhound quarrelsome either in kennel or out. - -I hope you will forgive my keen advocacy on behalf of the pure-bred -otterhound. I am sure we should both dislike to see him entirely -eliminated from the hunting-field, and only to be found as a weird and -useless animal on the show bench. - -May your book have the great success that it deserves. That it will -give great pleasure to all who know anything about the otter and the -hunting of it, I am sure. That it will be the means of attracting many -new converts I devoutly hope. And if I may add a wish with a yet more -personal note, may I meet yourself and all my other good otter-hunting -friends at many another good hunt, whether the meet be late or early, the -hounds otterhounds or foxhounds. - - Yours very sincerely, - - W. Thompson. - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER - - -The common otter of the British Islands, known in scientific -classification as _Lutra vulgaris_, belongs to the Mustelidę, or in other -words the weasel family. Included in the latter are the martens and their -allies, whose chief attributes are activity, length of body and tail, -shortness of legs, widely separated toes, and small claws. The otter is -the possessor of similar attributes, with additional developments to -fit it for an aquatic existence. If therefore we describe the otter as -an aquatic marten, living chiefly on a fish diet, we shall probably not -be deviating very far from the truth. Swimming is an inherited instinct -handed down through the ages, and though it has been lost by man, it has -been developed and taken advantage of by many creatures, in order to -enable them to lead an aquatic existence. The reason for this intensive -development of their swimming powers by certain animals probably lies in -the fact that aquatic life opened a wider and safer field for them, both -in the matter of food supplies and protection from their natural enemies. - -The otter family is widely distributed over the globe, so before entering -upon a detailed description of our British otter, it may be of interest -to glance at other species inhabiting foreign countries. The typical -otters are marine as well as aquatic in their habits, many of them -visiting the sea, where they live in the caves and other retreats along -the coast. There is one of the family, however, i.e., the sea-otter, -which is entirely marine. The skin of this otter has always been keenly -sought for by fur-traders and trappers, and it is owing to constant -harassing by such people that the sea-otter is now all but extinct. This -otter differs in many ways from its aquatic relations. It possesses large -flipper-like hind feet, a short tail, and small, delicate forefeet. -The hind paws alone are used for swimming, the delicate and sensitive -forefeet being employed in locating the otter's food, consisting of -mussels, crabs, and other shell-fish, which it hunts for amongst the -rocks at the bottom of the sea. This otter spends its entire existence in -salt water, and has been found as far as twenty miles from land. - -The female usually has but a single young one, born, so it is thought, on -the large beds of seaweed commonly known as kelp. Lying on her back in -the sea, the mother sleeps and suckles her baby in that position. - -In Africa there is a species known as the spotted-necked otter, which has -shorter ears, longer toes, and more hair about its nose than the common -otter. Africa also produces a large otter which has more or less given up -its aquatic habits. The claws on this otter's forepaws have disappeared, -while those on the hind feet have practically done so. In India there is -a small otter whose claws resemble those of the foregoing, and in both -animals the sense of touch in the forepaws is extremely delicate, which -no doubt enables the creatures to locate certain of their prey by feeling -for it. In the large African otter the webs between the toes are greatly -reduced, and the facial bristles or "whiskers" are much softer than those -possessed by the common otter. - -South America can boast of a very large otter, whose tail is wider and -more flattened than is the case with the otters above mentioned. It will -thus be seen that there are only slight differences between individuals -composing the typical otters. - -[Illustration: No. 1. - -Otter's Rudder.] - -The common British otter (_Lutra vulgaris_) is known by a variety of -names in this country. The Welsh call the animal dwrgi, while in Cornish -it is written durgi. In the Highlands, where Gaelic is spoken, the name -is dņbhran. The physical formation of the otter is admirably adapted to -fit it for an aquatic existence. In order to offer the least possible -resistance to the water when the animal is swimming below the surface, -the otter's head and muzzle are flattened, and the ears are very small. -Both ears and nostrils can be closed to exclude the water. The body -is long, low, and sinuous in movement, set upon short legs which are -loosely articulated. The feet are palmate, with five toes armed with -short, non-retractile claws, and perfect interdigital webs. The tail is -more than half the length of the head and body, broad at the base, and -horizontally flattened. Beneath the root of the tail will be found a pair -of small glands containing a fetid liquid secretion. Being an aquatic, -sub-Arctic species, the otter is furnished with a body covering of two -kinds. The thick, close under-fur, which attains special luxuriance of -growth, is provided for two purposes, i.e., for keeping out the wet when -the animal is in the water, and for preventing loss of heat during cold -weather. Overlying this under-coat is a covering of longer hairs, which -are stiffer and more shiny, greyish in colour at the base, and brown at -the tips. This dark colouring shows in most pronounced fashion on the -upper portions of the body, and on the outer surfaces of the legs and -shoulders. The inner portions of the legs, belly, chest, throat, and -cheeks are brownish-grey. The throat often shows a good deal of white or -greyish-white in irregular patches. This, however, varies considerably in -individual specimens, some showing a good deal of it, others practically -none at all. Turning again to the head, we find the eyes small and dark -coloured, while the so-called "whiskers" are long, stiff, and thick at -the base. These long, stiff hairs grow on the upper-lip, and there is a -tuft of them over each eye, and two tufts--one below the other--on each -cheek. In the case of the domestic cat these "whiskers" are soft, and -possess a very delicate sense of touch, thus enabling the animal to creep -noiselessly through undergrowth in pursuit of prey. Should the cat's -"whiskers" touch the grass or other growth on each side, puss is then -instinctively aware that there is not sufficient room for her body to -pass, and that she will therefore make a rustling sound if she persists -in her advance, and so alarm her prey. These soft hairs on the cat's face -are quite adequate for her purpose, because she hunts on land and hates -wet. Soaked with water the soft hairs would droop and prove useless, -and so it is for this reason that the otter's "whiskers" have gradually -developed until now they are strong and stiff in order to withstand the -exigencies of frequent underwater journeys. They are used, too, in a -rather different way, for although while on land they may aid the otter -to make a quiet approach on prey, their chief purpose is for locating -food--in the shape of frogs, fish, etc.--either beneath stones, or on -the bottom of the riverbed. The long hairs on the otter's upper-lip are -susceptible of considerable movement, for their development has been -followed by that of the muscles beneath, which give the puffy appearance -to the otter's face. Provided with perfect interdigital webs on all four -feet, the otter when swimming slowly, paddles in exactly the same manner -as a dog. When the speed is increased, however, the tail is brought into -action, being moved from side to side, while the body is thrown into -sinuous curves. - -[Illustration: No. 2. - -OTTER'S HEAD, SHOWING WHITE MARKINGS ABOUT THE MOUTH AND THROAT.] - -The otter, like the seal, feeds upon fish, but whereas the seal swallows -its prey whole and entire, the otter masticates its food. The teeth -of the otter are therefore adapted to crushing bones, which, if not -thoroughly broken up, would lodge in the animal's throat. The two back -teeth in the otter's upper jaw are considerably enlarged, and are -provided with cutting edges and a flat crushing surface. Provided with a -short and powerful jaw, armed with a formidable array of teeth, the otter -is capable of inflicting a very nasty bite, as many a hound and terrier, -as well as otter-hunter, has had cause to remember. Luckily the otter is -a clean-feeding animal, and the after results of a bite are usually not -serious. - -In the matter of size and weight, otters vary considerably, those found -on or near the sea coast being usually heavier than otters frequenting -inland waters. No doubt the quantity and quality of the food supply has a -good deal to do with the variation. Roughly speaking, the average weight -of a dog otter is from 20 lb. to 24 lb., and of a bitch, 16 lb. to 20 lb. -As far as record weights are concerned, Daniel mentions an otter taken in -the river Lea in October, 1794, which scaled "upwards of 40 lb." Turning -to a more reliable source of information, however, we find in the _Field_ -of July 5th, 1919, a list of the lengths and weights of eleven large -otters killed in Norfolk. I take the liberty of quoting the particulars -which are as follows: - -Males, 48 inches, 37 lb.; 53½ inches, 30 lb.; 50½ inches, 28 lb.; -53 inches, 27 lb.; 50 inches, 27 lb.; 50 inches, 23 lb.; 48 inches, 23 -lb.; 49 inches, 18½ lb. - -Females, 46 inches, 16 lb.; 43 inches, 16 lb.; 44 inches, 14 lb. - -It will be seen from the above how extremely weight varies in relation -to measurement. Bitch otters occasionally weigh far heavier than any of -those mentioned in the foregoing list. - -In the _Field_ of September 22nd, 1917, an old record is given (March, -1813) of a large bitch otter trapped near Leven's Hall, Westmorland, -measuring 54 inches, and weighing 27¾ lb. The record otter killed by -hounds, a dog otter of 34 lb., was accounted for by the Essex O.H. on -July 10th, 1907, during Mr Rose's mastership of that pack. This otter -was found in the sea marshes near Ipswich. Generally speaking, very few -otters of 30 lb. or over are accounted for by hounds. - -It appears to be a matter of uncertainty as to how long a bitch otter -goes with young. We have heard it said nine weeks, but have no reliable -evidence to go by. As to the number of cubs in a litter, two appear to be -more often laid down than three, although five have been more than once -found in the same couch. Roughly speaking, the average number appears to -be from two to three. - -As to how many years an otter in a wild state will live, it is -practically impossible to say. We have seen otters killed by hounds, -whose general appearance and state of their teeth pointed to the fact -that they had arrived at a ripe old age. Otter cubs of similar age have -been found in every month of the year, thus exploding the old supposition -that otters bred only in spring. Young bitch otters appear to pair as -soon as they arrive at maturity, thus cubs are produced as above stated. - -Otters of abnormal colour make their appearance from time to time. In the -Badminnten volume on "Hunting," there is an account of a cream-coloured -otter killed on the West Dart, while in "A Fauna of Argyll" by -Harvie-Brown and Buckley, there is mention of a pure white otter which -was killed in Jura. - -Although a clean-feeding animal, the otter is a creature one hardly -associates with human food. For all that the heart and other portions of -an otter's anatomy have been served up at table on several occasions ere -now, presumably we suppose for experimental purposes. Which reminds us -of the yarn concerning the old trapper, who when asked if he had ever -eaten turkey-buzzard, replied "Yes, siree, I _have_ eaten turkey-buzzard, -but I don't _hanker_ after it." On one occasion we became possessed of -a dead otter, whose carcass, after skinning, we presented to two dogs. -The latter promptly turned up their noses at it, whereas several cats to -which it was afterwards given set about devouring it quite keenly. In the -case of hounds, unless the carcass of their quarry is still warm and they -are excited by the free use of horn and voice, they will show no great -desire to do more than tear the body of an otter. - -The otter's hide--covering a sinuous body, with loosely articulated -limbs--is tough, and offers more resistance to hounds' teeth than the -skin of a fox, which soon disintegrates when worried by the pack. As far -as hounds are concerned, the scent of an otter must at times be to them -exceedingly strong, yet to the human nose--even if the latter is held -close to the animal's body--there is only a faint and not unpleasant -odour, very different to the rank scent of a fox. - -As previously mentioned, there appears to be considerable uncertainty -as to how long the bitch otter goes with young. In the "Master of -Game," the oldest and most important work on the chase in the English -language, written between the years 1406 and 1413 by Edward III.'s -grandson Edward, second Duke of York, there is a short chapter on "The -Otter and His Nature," in which it says that the otter bears her young -as long as the ferret does. This chapter is of great interest, both as -regards the knowledge of venery possessed by mediaeval hunters, and the -quaint wording of the letterpress. For this reason we take the liberty -of quoting it in full. It says, "An otter is a common beast enough and -therefore I need not tell of his making. She liveth with (on?) fish and -dwelleth by rivers and by ponds and stanks (pools). And sometimes she -feedeth on grass of the meadows and hideth gladly under the roots of -trees near the rivers, and goeth to her feeding as doth other beasts to -grass, but only in the new grass time, and to fish as I have said. They -swimmeth in waters and rivers and sometimes diveth under the water when -they will, and therefore no fish can escape them unless it be too great -a one. They doth great harm specially in ponds and stanks, for a couple -of otters without more shall well destroy the fish of a great pond or -great stank, and therefore men hunt them. They go in their love at the -time that ferrets do, so they that hold (keep) ferrets in their houses -may well know the time thereof. They bear their whelps as long as the -ferrets and sometimes more and sometimes less. They whelp in holes under -the trees near the rivers. Men hunt at them with hounds by great mastery, -as I say hereafter.[1] And also men take them at other times in rivers -with small cords as men do the fox with nets and with other gins. She -hath an evil biting and venomous and with her strength defendeth herself -mightily from the hounds. And when she is taken with nets unless men get -to her at once she rendeth them with her teeth and delivereth herself out -of them. Longer will I not make mention of her, nor of her nature, for -the hunting at her is the best that men may see of her, save only that -she has the foot of a goose, for she hath a little skin from one claw -to another, and she hath no heel save that she hath a little lump under -the foot, and men speak of the steps or the marches of the otter as men -speak of the trace of the hart, and his fumes (excrements) tredeles or -spraints. The otter dwelleth but little in one place, for where she goeth -the fish be sore afraid. Sometimes she will swim upwards and downwards -seeking the fish a mile or two unless it be in a stank. - -[Footnote 1: The author of "Master of Game" does not say anything more -about the otter.] - -"Of the remnant of his nature I refer to Milbourne[2] the king's -otter-hunter." - -[Footnote 2: The Milbourne referred to by the Duke of York can scarcely -be any other than the William Melbourne we find mentioned in Henry IV's -reign as "Valet of our Otterhounds" (note in appendix to "Master of -Game").] - -If otters "bear their whelps as long as the ferrets," the period of -gestation is six weeks or forty-five days. Bitch ferrets come in heat in -April or May, and unless mated some of them apparently remain more or -less in that condition during the summer months. - -The excrement of the otter, known in hunting parlance as "spraints," -"wedging," or "coke," is usually of a blackish colour, and contains -the bones and scales of fish. Sometimes it shows the remains of fur or -feather, which is proof positive that the otter does not live entirely -upon a fish diet. - -Where an otter has been feeding on frogs, the coke is usually a yellowish -colour. In sand or soft earth an otter will scrape the latter into a -small mound, like a cat, and for the same purpose. - -Coke is generally found on stones in midstream, or at points where -the otter enters or leaves the water. A small grassy promontory is a -favourite place, and at such spots the grass often grows particularly -green. If the grass is long, the coke will be found hidden amongst -it. It is popularly supposed that the direction in which an otter is -travelling--up or down stream--can be verified by the position in which -the coke is left on the stones. In our experience there is little -reliability about this theory. On a rock in midstream the position of the -coke is quite as likely to be in the centre as at the sides, particularly -if there is a tuft of grass or other growth on the stone. - -An otter is quite likely to turn round, just as a cat or dog does, prior -to depositing the coke, therefore the position of the latter can hardly -be a reliable guide as to the direction taken by the animal when it -eventually moves off. - -Owing to being the possessor of a webbed foot, with five toes and short -claws, the otter leaves a track--in hunting parlance "spur," "seal," or -"mark,"--entirely different from that of any other animal to be met with -in this country. Amongst the general literature relating to the otter, -we have found small reference to the animal's footprints, while in some -cases the information on the subject was incorrect. For instance in one -article we read, it states "No other creature, saving a cat, leaves such -a print on Nature's page as does an otter. Four round small toes and, if -the soil be favourable, a plain triangle just behind where the webbing of -the foot has rested." - -[Illustration: No. 3. - -LEFT FOREFOOT OF OTTER, OPEN, SHOWING INTERDIGITAL WEBS.] - -[Illustration: No. 4. - -LEFT FOREFOOT OF OTTER, CLOSED.] - -Now an otter--like the badger, stoat, weasel, and hedgehog--has five toes -on each foot, and the marks of the claws or nails are always visible in -the footprints. A cat has four toes, armed with retractile claws, the -marks of which are not shown on the ground, except when the animal is -about to make a spring. Although a cat track may approximate in size to -that of an otter cub, the latter always shows claw-marks, and partial if -not entire imprints of five toes. On hard ground, claw-marks will show -when the impression of the rest of the foot is practically invisible, -so anyone with a knowledge of woodcraft can hardly mistake the track of -a cat for that of an otter cub. In the same way with the footprints of -hounds, terriers, or other dogs, their tracks all show the imprints of -four toes, plus the marks of the claws. A terrier's track is far more -like that of a fox than an otter, while hounds leave large footprints, -easy to distinguish. - -[Illustration: Otter Tracks Leaving Water, Walking. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). -] - -[Illustration: Furrow made by Otter in Deep Snow. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). _To face p. 40._ -] - -We have also seen it stated that the track of an otter is "recognisable -by the mark of its five toes, and the absence of a heel." Under certain -conditions this is true enough, but on favourable ground the mark of the -heel is plainly visible. In like manner an impression of the webbing is -sometimes left. In snow of fair depth, the individual tracks of an otter -are more or less obliterated by the drag of the animal's body, which -leaves a furrow as if a miniature snow-plough had been at work. Also -in snow the drag of the otter's tail--in hunting parlance "rudder" or -"pole"--is generally to be seen. - -The otter has three gaits: walking, jumping, and galloping. The walk -shows a line--usually rather twisting--of footprints one behind the -other. When jumping the tracks appear in pairs, with an interval between -each pair. At this gait the imprints of the hind feet cover the tracks -made by the forefeet. At the gallop, which is really jumping at top -speed, the hind feet are thrown ahead of the forefeet. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE OTTER'S HAUNTS AND HABITS - - -As mentioned in the previous chapter, otter cubs may be born in any month -of the year. Prior to laying down her young, the bitch otter selects a -couch in the vicinity of good feeding ground. Her choice of a retreat -will vary with the locality in which she happens to be at the time. In -the low country her cubs may be laid down in a dry drain in the meadows, -where frogs are plentiful, and the ditches contain a supply of eels, or -amongst the brushwood in some large covert, where the ground is swampy, -and through which one or two small runners meander on their way to -join the parent stream. In the north, where the rivers are swift and -rocky, the cubs may first see the light of day in some cairn or pile of -boulders, situated high up near the source of the stream, or in some -rocky earth adjacent to a mountain tarn. On the grouse moor they may -be found in some sod drain or other hiding-place amongst the peat and -heather, near a pool or pools containing fish, and frequented by wildfowl -as well as frogs and such small deer. - -Quite small cubs are often found in holts in the bank of a main river, -but it is pretty safe to say that the majority of bitch otters move -up-stream, either to the head-waters, or up some side-runner prior -to laying down their cubs. The latter have on various occasions been -discovered actually beneath, or in close proximity to human habitations. - -In the _Field_ of October 29th, 1921, there is an interesting description -of such an occurrence, which we take the liberty of quoting. It says: -"An odd experience is recorded to have happened in the year 1790 to -Mr William Bethel, the then owner of Watton, and a guest. He and a -clergyman were sitting quietly at dinner, when they were surprised by an -extraordinary noise beneath the dining-table for which they could not -account, and at length they were so much annoyed by it that they sent -for a workman to take up the floor, when to their great astonishment they -found that an otter which had inhabited the moat had established her nest -beneath the boards of the floor, and had there deposited her litter of -young ones, by whose uncouth cries it was that the dinner-party had been -disturbed." - -In _The Gamekeeper_ for May, 1914, there is another interesting account -of a somewhat similar nature. It says: "On March 13th last, Mr Colwill, -a tenant on the Trebartha Estate, Cornwall, lost a lamb, and there being -a mouth of a large drain in the field, thought perhaps there might be -a chance of the lamb having gone up the drain. Getting a long stick he -put it up the drain, and feeling something move he thought it must be -the lamb, but on turning round, saw the lamb coming up the field towards -him. The same evening he put some lambs in the shippen in front of some -cows, putting them on some hay. Before going to bed he went to see -that the lambs were all right. He was just hanging up his lamp, when -something--he could not see what--rushed out past him. When he went to -look at his lamb, he found a young otter lying with the lamb." - -The account goes on to say that on the particular night in question, the -local rivers were in flood. The above seems to point to the fact that the -bitch otter had been flooded out of the drain, and had carried her cub to -the shelter of the shippen. A photograph of the lamb and the otter cub -was reproduced in conjunction with the above letterpress. - -Otter cubs, like young foxes, are born blind. Fox cubs remain so for a -period of about three weeks, and it is probable that a similar length -of time, or perhaps rather more, elapses ere young otters can see. In -the _Field_ of November 26th, 1921, there is an account of an otter cub -whose mother was inadvertently killed by hounds. This cub was rescued and -brought up by hand. When taken from the holt its age was estimated at -fourteen days. Sixteen days later the cub opened its eyes, thus a period -of thirty days elapsed from the time of its birth until it could see. At -the end of the thirty days the cub weighed 14 ounces. It was at first fed -on milk and water, but became very thin on this diet, so a change was -made to "Mellins" as mixed for a new-born child. On this the cub thrived, -its weight on October 11th being just under 2 lb. It was taken from the -holt on August 20th. Had this cub been fed in the ordinary way by its -mother it would possibly have opened its eyes at a rather earlier date, -as it would have escaped the set-back caused by an unsuitable diet. The -eyes of the adult otter are very dark coloured, but those of a cub are at -first much lighter, not unlike the eyes of a young fox cub. - -When the cubs are able to travel, the bitch otter leads them down from -the head-waters to the larger streams. The cubs remain with their mother -for some considerable time, as witness the constant occurrence of cubs -of from 10 lb. to 12 lb. being put down in company with the bitch. They -consort with their mother until she goes off to rear another family, -when they are then left to fend for themselves. From this it is apparent -that the otter has but one litter per year. - -There is a great deal yet to be learnt about the otter, for, being -more or less a creature of the night, and elusive in its movements, it -is extremely difficult to study systematically. Otter cubs, although -somewhat delicate, are not difficult to hand-rear, and make very -interesting and tractable pets. If healthy to start with, cows' milk -diluted with water is at first a satisfactory diet. Both cubs and adult -otters are of course easy enough to study in captivity, but like many -other creatures confined under similar conditions, they soon exhibit -certain abnormal tastes and habits, and therefore afford little or no -real clue to their behaviour in their natural habitat. At the Zoological -Gardens in London, the otters will eat almost anything thrown to them by -visitors. - -The bitch otter shows great affection for her young, and will hang about -in their vicinity in the face of hounds or human intruders. If a bitch -with cubs is killed, the cubs, if well grown, will search the vicinity -for their parent, the same applying to one of a pair which has been -caught in a trap, its mate remaining near it all night in an attempt to -get it away. On these occasions the otters make a considerable noise, -blowing and snorting in their agitation. On one occasion some years ago, -a brother of ours found three small otter cubs on a Yorkshire beck, which -he eventually captured. The bitch otter remained close at hand, making a -great fuss, regardless of any possible danger to herself. The cubs were -carried home, a distance of a mile or more, but were returned within a -short time to the pool where they were found. The bitch otter again made -her appearance, and eventually went off with her restored family. - -Otters, being great nomads, wander long distances up and down our rivers, -frequently crossing high watersheds, and travelling far across country. -Having no fixed abode like the fox, the otter inhabits temporary retreats -or holts during the course of his journeyings. Most of these holts have -been used by generations of otters, and many a drain or other shelter -long forgotten by the people of the neighbourhood is still regularly -inhabited by _Lutra_ and his kind. A holt may consist of a tree-root on -the river-bank, a dry drain, or a wet one containing a dry lying place, a -stick-heap near the stream, or situated in a plantation at some distance -from the water. On the rocky rivers of the North, many of the holts -consist of piled-up boulders on the hill-side, most of which are at some -distance from the nearest beck or tarn. These rock-holts, many of which -lie at a high altitude, are occupied by otters when crossing from stream -to stream over a watershed. In summer, otters frequently "lie rough," or -in other words spend the day above ground. Near a lake or tarn an otter -will often curl up in the rushes or long grass at the water's edge. If -disturbed he will then slide quietly into the pool, and unless hunted -by hounds, will not show himself again. Sometimes he will lie on a bank -or in a hedge close to the mouth of a drain, the latter serving him as -a safe retreat when danger threatens. In fact, during the warm weather, -otters are found lying rough in all sorts of unexpected places, often to -the great surprise of those who fondly imagine that the animals never -leave the vicinity of water. - -Certain tree-roots and also rock-holts have their entrances under water. -In some of them there cannot be any great amount of ventilation. An -otter cannot live without air, yet presumably it can exist with less -than most creatures. Otter cubs are sometimes laid down in holts of the -above nature, where there is no ventilation shaft, and we have heard the -theory expressed that under such conditions practically all the fresh -air that the cubs get is carried in to them in their mother's coat. In -our experience, however, even though a holt has an underwater entrance, -there are usually plenty of air passages coming down from above, at any -rate, sufficient to supply a more than adequate amount of fresh air for -breathing purposes. The advantage of an underwater entrance to an otter -lies in the fact that he can get in and out without showing himself, and -once inside he may be "out of mark," or in other words, his scent is not -carried to the outer air, so that if hounds come along they cannot wind -him in his retreat. - -After his night's peregrinations, an otter will return to his holt, but -prior to settling down in his chosen retreat, he often visits one or -two other tree-roots on the river-bank. Hounds sometimes mark at these -places, only to find that their otter has gone on. - -Along the sea coast, otters inhabit the water-worn caves and other -retreats about the cliffs. Wherever there is an open boathouse on lake -or river, otters are pretty sure to resort to it. We have examined many -such places, and almost invariably found otter coke lying about on the -planking, and sometimes actually in a boat or boats. In bad weather a -boathouse affords a dry lying spot, and no doubt this is why otters visit -it. - -In order to thoroughly realise the wanderings and often long -cross-country journeys undertaken by otters, one must track them in the -snow. On one occasion such a trail led us for a good ten miles overland, -the otter having left a stream, and made his way uphill via a small -runner. The latter petered out in the open ground, but the trail led on -in the direction of a frozen reservoir. Round this the otter had gone, -then he followed the stream from the outlet for some distance, after -which he turned straight across country. Three or four big stone walls -had then intervened, but the otter--which had probably been over the same -route before--made straight to certain smoots, and passed through with no -unnecessary searching for a way out. He then visited a small lake, also -frozen, and again took to the outlet stream, down which he went until he -arrived at the main river. It must have been a pretty hard trip for so -short-legged an animal, for the otter left a furrow in the snow which -was quite deep. From the point where he left the stream where we picked -up his tracks, to the spot where the trail entered the main river in -the next dale across the watershed, the otter had not stopped once, but -had kept toddling on. In the Lake District, otters regularly travel the -passes over the hills, visiting the mountain tarns, and going from one -dale to another. - -[Illustration: Tunnel Made by Otter in Snow. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). -] - -[Illustration: Otter Tracks in Snow, Jumping. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). _To face p. 53._ -] - -Otters are playful beasts, a favourite game of theirs being sliding. They -choose a steep clay bank, or a smooth snow slope, and toboggan down it -on their stomachs with evident enjoyment. Although one seldom sees these -slides in this country, they are very common in Canada where we have -often come across them. During the cold weather of a Canadian winter, -otters spend a good deal of their time beneath the ice, being able to -breathe at the air-spaces round the shore. These air-spaces are left when -the water lowers after the ice is formed. - -Concerning the otter's feeding habits, there appears to be a good deal -of misconception. Some people imagine that the otter exists entirely on -fish, and for this reason should be done to death as a river-poacher -at every opportunity. We have in the previous chapter compared the -teeth of the otter and the seal, the latter animal swallowing its food -whole, while the former masticates its food. Seals live upon fish, but -it must be remembered that the otter belongs to the marten family, and, -though well adapted to lead an aquatic existence, it still retains some -of the marten's hunting instincts, and its teeth are suited to seizing -and holding both furred and feathered prey. The pine marten, stoat, and -weasel will all eat trout greedily when they can get it, so it is only -natural that the otter, their relation, well equipped for swimming and -water work, should show the same taste. As a matter of fact he _does_ -exhibit the same taste as his smaller relatives, and to a much greater -degree, but he is also glad to vary his diet and add both flesh and fowl -to the menu. - -The uninitiated, whose knowledge of otters has been gained by visits -to the Zoological Gardens, while realising the swimming ability of the -animals, look upon them as clumsy beasts on land, and ill-adapted to lead -an active existence on terra firma. In an article comparing the badger -and the otter, it says, "The otter, on the other hand, though an expert -swimmer, is on land nearly as clumsy as his cousin the badger." The -author of the said article can have done little or no otter-hunting, for -if he had, he would never have made such a foolish statement. Despite his -webbed feet, the otter is built like the weasels, and exhibits a great -deal of their activity and quickness on land. For this reason he is well -able to cope with furred and feathered quarry. - -Beginning the otter's menu with fish, we find he eats salmon, sea trout, -trout, and coarse fish. On the west of Scotland and in the Hebrides, -otters live a good deal on the coast, but in the autumn they follow the -salmon up the streams. Where salmon are plentiful and easily secured, -otters kill a fish, take it ashore, and eat a portion of the shoulder -only. In the old days in the Highlands, when otters were more numerous -than they are at present, the crofters used regularly to visit the -otters' landing places, in order to gather the salmon left there. The -marks on such fish were known as the "otter's bite." In that delightful -book, "Wild Sports of the Highlands" by Charles St John, the author -refers to the above practice as follows: "I was rather amused at an old -woman living at Sluie, on the Findhorn, who, complaining of the hardness -of the present times, when 'a puir body couldna' get a drop smuggled -whisky, or shot a rae without his lordship's sportsman finding it out,' -added to her list of grievances that even the otters were nearly all -gone, 'puir beasties.' 'Well, but what good could the otters do you?' I -asked her. 'Good, your honour? Why scarcely a morn came but they left a -bonny grilse on the scarp down yonder, and the _vennison_ was none the -waur of the bit, the puir beasts eat themselves.' The people here call -every eatable animal, fish, flesh, or fowl, venison, or as they pronounce -it 'vennison.' For instance they tell you that the snipes are 'good -vennison,' or that the trout are not good 'vennison' in the winter." - -Although an otter is a capable swimmer, he cannot travel half as fast -as a salmon under water. In low water a single otter can tire out or -corner a salmon in a pool, but evidence leads us to believe that otters -often work together, one driving the salmon about, while the other -keeps watch on the shallows. On all rivers there are places where fish -can be more or less cornered when the water is at normal level, and of -course when it is very low in time of drought, salmon and other fish -are practically pool-bound, and thus fall victims to otters and other -predaceous creatures. It is pretty safe to say that an otter--like a -pike, or a cannibal trout--will go for any fish which appears to be weak -or in difficulty. A spinning lure--such as a spoon that wobbles instead -of turning truly--is often far more attractive than one that spins "like -a streak of silver." - -In the _Field_ of June 5th, 1920, there is an account of an otter -attacking a hooked salmon. The writer of the account says, "While I was -playing a salmon on the Teify on Friday, May 21st, an otter made two -attempts to get at him, and very nearly succeeded once. This seems -so unusual to me that it would be of great interest if others have -had a similar experience. This incident took place about eight in the -evening, and in a pool where there was only an opening of a few feet -where one could gaff the fish owing to trees. The trees undoubtedly -accounted for the otter failing to see me, but as soon as he raised -his head above water in midstream and saw that there were others as -well as himself after that fish he soon cleared off, and the fish was -successfully landed. The wild rushes made by the salmon after the otter's -first attempt were extraordinary, as the fish was about done and fit -for gaffing. To me this was a clear proof of the instinctive fear and -wonderful vitality in a fish when his natural enemy appeared." - -Other instances of a similar nature have been recorded from time to time, -in some of which the otter has succeeded in taking the hooked fish. There -is no doubt that an otter or otters frighten fish, particularly salmon, -when chasing them about a pool. The instinct of all wild animals is to -attack a weakly or wounded creature, even if belonging to their own kind, -and the otter which goes for a hooked salmon does so because he knows he -stands a better chance of catching it than other fish in the same pool -which are free and untrammelled. - -The otter must, therefore, do considerable good by ridding the streams of -weak and sickly fish. An otter deals with large sea trout as it does with -salmon, but in the case of trout it frequently eats them entire, leaving -nothing to waste. When devouring fish an otter eats like a cat, with -half-closed eyes. In the case of coarse fish, the otter often discards -the head and tail, and in the same way with an eel, the head may be -left. Those who decry the otter as a fish-poacher should remember that -the animal does not confine his attentions solely to one pool or to one -species of diet during his nightly wanderings. He may fish and otherwise -feed up-stream for some miles, taking a trout here, an eel there, and -perhaps a young rabbit somewhere else. - -We have already seen that the otter must do good by killing sickly or -wounded salmon, and in the same way with trout, he captures many an old -cannibal fish which is far better out of the water. These old trout not -only prey on their own smaller relations, but are great devourers of fish -spawn, and the same applies, only in a much greater degree, to eels, -which are the worst vermin in or about a river or lake. Many coarse fish, -too, are inimical to spawn and young fry, therefore the otter does far -more good than harm by feeding on them. Eels and frogs, the latter being -skinned by an otter, are the first quarry that the bitch otter teaches -her cubs to hunt. These are sought for on land and in the wet ditches and -shallow runners. Later, the cubs are initiated in the art of fishing. - -When first introduced to water, the cubs show considerable reluctance to -swim. This can hardly be because they are unable to do so, but rather -owing to a youthful aversion--as in the case of a puppy--to entering a -strange element for the first time. The bitch therefore takes them to -a stone in midstream, and either pushes them in, or leaves them there -until they are at last tempted to enter the water and follow her. On -the sea coast otters spend a good deal of time searching for flounders -in the shallow pools. They also eat crabs, lobsters, sea anemones, and -various crustaceans. Otters sometimes visit the lobster fishers' creels, -and there are instances on record of partially grown otters having been -found drowned in the creels. On inland lakes and streams otters feed on -fresh-water mussels and cray-fish. - -As previously mentioned, it is no uncommon thing to find the remains of -fur and feather in otter coke. Otters capture waterhens and dabchicks, -although we are of the opinion that they prefer other food if they can -get it. At any rate we are familiar with a certain reed-fringed pond -on the hills, where a bitch otter and two cubs of about 12 lb. weight -resided for some months. This pond was also occupied by quite a number of -waterhens, yet there were no apparent remains of these birds to be found -in the vicinity, which pointed to the fact that the otters left them -pretty much alone. - -A rather curious thing happened when we visited the pond with hounds. -At first the waterhens were much in evidence, but after hounds had -been at work for an hour or two, we began to find dead waterhens -lying about. These were not killed by hounds, but were drowned, and -had practically--as far as we could see--committed suicide. To escape -danger a waterhen will keep diving, and the birds under discussion had -evidently--owing to the continual presence of hounds--done so until they -were tired out, and subsequently perished under water. What made their -behaviour stranger still was the fact that there was a small covert -adjoining the pond, in which the birds could have found sanctuary on -terra firma until all danger was past. - -Both dabchicks and waterhens devour fish spawn, so otters do good -by thinning out the ranks of these birds. At times otters will take -game-birds, and there are authentic records of grouse, pheasants, and -duck having been killed by them. One or two instances of this will -suffice. In "The Natural History of Sport in Scotland," by Tom Speedy, -the latter says: "That he can scent and pounce upon his prey like a fox -was demonstrated by following his tracks among snow up Corrie Macshee -Burn at Dalnaspidal. The trail left the water-side and showed where the -animal had made a bound and caught a grouse in its roosting-place among -the snow. Returning to the stream, he had crossed on to a boulder in the -centre of the burn, where he devoured part of his prey." The same author -mentions a case of an otter on the Biel estate in East Lothian, which -dragged a foster-mother hen out of a coop and partly devoured it, as well -as a number of young pheasants big enough to sit out amongst the grass. -Traps were set, baited with the dead bodies of the birds, and a large -otter was secured; the massacre then ceased. - -In _The Gamekeeper_ for August, 1913, there is a note concerning the -deaths of fifteen sitting pheasants in a covert beside a river. Each -bird had a hole gnawed down through the back, the carcasses being left -lying near the nests, not an egg having been touched. A duck caught on -her nest is treated in the same way by an otter. In _The Gamekeeper_ for -June, 1919, there is a note concerning an otter which was caught in a -tunnel-trap baited with rabbit paunch. The trap was set in the middle of -a one hundred acre wood. The otter was a cub, weighing 9½ lb. - -Waterhens and dabchicks, particularly the latter, when taken by otters, -are pulled under the water, though they may be captured amongst the reeds -and other undergrowth as well. Ducklings sometimes fall victims to the -otter, though as a rule big pike do the greatest harm in this direction. -Pike have been known to take pheasants as well as duck which had fallen -into a lake during the course of a shoot. From available evidence, otters -on a stream containing trout and coarse fish seem to prefer the latter. -Possibly they are easier to capture than trout. On hill-streams, where -the fish are small but very numerous owing to shortage of food, otters -must do a great deal of good by reducing the stock. - -As far as furred prey is concerned, otters will kill and eat rats, -water-voles, and young rabbits. We have on several occasions seen -where a small bunny had been caught by an otter. On marshes where duck -shooting is carried on, otters find and feed on wounded duck, exactly as -do foxes. Here again they do good by acting as scavengers, as well as -by putting winged birds out of their misery. Rabbits appear to be the -largest four-footed creatures preyed upon by otters, but we have heard -it suggested by an old Lakeland dalesman that they will on occasion take -lambs. Although we bring forward this suggestion with great diffidence, -it is quite possible that there is some truth in it. Our informant -lived by the shore of a lake in an out-of-the-way part of the country, -where at one time pine-martens were very plentiful. It is a well-known -fact that martens will kill lambs, and an otter, which is a much more -powerful animal, could easily do the same if so inclined. Anyway, the -old dalesman more than once found the carcass of a lamb left close to -the edge of the water on the lake shore, with the tracks of otters round -about it. Neither a hill-fox nor marten would be likely to drag or carry -the carcass to water, and the whole thing certainly pointed to the work -of otters. - -An otter is a predaceous animal of the weasel family, strong, and active -in its habits, and would experience no difficulty in tackling a lamb. It -is never safe to be dogmatic in one's statements concerning the habits -of wild creatures, because generally speaking, the only regular thing -about them is their variability. Cases have occurred where otters were -responsible for killing ducks, grouse, pheasants, and rabbits, and though -such behaviour is only occasional on the part of the average otter, it -shows what he will do when so inclined. - -In winter otters are sometimes hard put to it to find food, and they -have been known to take poultry at such times. In the same way regarding -the dalesman's statement about lambs, an otter _may_ occasionally kill -one, although most people would laugh at such an idea. We know that -hill-foxes take lambs, having scores of times found carcasses in and -about the earths, yet one meets hunting people who resolutely refuse to -believe that Reynard ever falls so far from grace as to feed on lamb. A -fox will eat trout when he can get it, and so will many dogs. We have -one now which eats small trout as greedily as a cat, and no doubt foxes -secure many fish when the hill-streams are dead low in summer. It is no -more strange for a fox or a dog to eat fish than for an otter to take an -occasional lamb. All three are carnivorous--the otter being least so--and -when all is said and done, wild animals show very unusual traits at times. - -Summing up the otter's feeding habits, we find he kills fish, and in the -case of salmon he is certainly wasteful. To set against this he takes -many a sickly fish, as well as cannibal trout, all of which are better -out of the way. He kills waterhens and dabchicks, both devourers of fish -spawn, and he slays quantities of eels, which are the worst vermin to be -found in lake or stream. Game is only an occasional item on his menu, and -nobody grudges him a few young rabbits. - -Otters, therefore, if kept within reasonable limits, do their share of -good, and, like the fox, provide the very best of sport when hunted. -When Reynard is rolled over by hounds it is the debt he pays for the -privileged existence of himself and his kind, and the same thing applies -to the otter. Given a good pack of hounds, hunting their district -properly, otters will be kept sufficiently in check, and good sport will -be enjoyed by riparian owners and others. - -The only occasion on which an otter can do really extensive damage is -when he gets access to a trout hatchery. Once he finds his way to the -breeding ponds he will kill fish right and left. If, however, such places -are properly fenced off--as they should be--they will never suffer from -the attentions of otters. Swans and other wildfowl, herons, dabchicks, -waterhens, kingfishers, frogs, cannibal trout, and eels do far more -damage to fish and fish spawn than otters, and with the exception of -certain wildfowl, provide no sport in return. The otter, like the -fly-fisherman, is a sportsman, and for this reason the one should deal -leniently with the other. - -Otters do most of their feeding and travelling at night, but it is not -an uncommon occurrence to find them abroad in daytime. In Canada we have -on several occasions seen them on the ice during the day, and once while -watching a deer runway near a river, a big otter floated downstream -within twenty yards of us. Having fed up-stream during the night, an -otter may take to some holt at the end of his journey, or he may float -down with the current--if the water is fairly deep--and return to the -holt from which he started. Although an otter can make wonderful headway -against a strong current, he generally avoids rapids and rough water -when travelling up-stream. On coming to such a place he lands, makes a -detour, and enters the water again higher up. His feeding expeditions -are not necessarily restricted to the main river, for he often explores -side-streams, ditches, and other places, which lie at a considerable -distance from deep water. He usually leaves his holt--or couch if he is -lying rough--about dusk, and returns to it before daybreak. For the most -part otters are silent creatures, but they whistle when calling to each -other, and will snort and blow when playing together. In Canada their -playgrounds are the "slides," and there two otters will gambol like -puppies between the intervals of tobogganing down the bank. - -Although an otter does not dig to any extent, he will, as already -mentioned, scratch up sand or soft earth for a certain purpose, and his -feet and claws aid him in securing crustaceans and other food. Although -the otter is unable to climb like the marten, he can on occasion jump and -scramble over high places in a wonderful manner. In the North, otters -regularly travel deep ghylls and watercourses where they are obliged to -climb to some extent, and when hard pressed by hounds it takes a very -rough place indeed to stop an otter. In big coverts an otter will stand -up before hounds like a fox, and will travel at a surprising pace. - -On rough, rocky rivers, an otter's claws, particularly those on the hind -feet, are often very much worn down. This may be accounted for by the -state of the going. A mounted specimen now in our possession has the -claws of the hind feet practically worn off, whereas the nails on the -forefeet are nearly perfect. - -There are probably few waters in Great Britain which are not at some time -or other haunted by otters. Even in the vicinity of towns the marks of -otters may be found beside canals and streams, the surroundings of which -would appear to be anything but attractive to _Lutra_. Being chiefly a -creature of the night, nomadic and elusive in its habits, the otter often -spends a peaceful existence in the vicinity of human habitations, the -occupants of which never dream that the "sly, goose-footed prowler" is -a frequent visitor to their water. The majority of people have never -seen an otter, except under a glass case in some museum, or within the -confines of the Zoological Gardens. The angler, fishing at dusk, may -sometimes be favoured by a glimpse of an otter, bent on the same errand -as himself, but as a rule few otters are seen except when put down by -hounds. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -OTTER-HUNTING, PAST AND PRESENT - - -It was not until a comparatively recent date, that the otter became an -accredited beast of chase. He was hunted, after a fashion, from the very -earliest times, but the value of his skin--like that of the fox--had more -to do with his capture than the sport he afforded. - -King John of England appears to be the first Master of Otterhounds -of whom there is any record, and Twici seems to have been the first -huntsman. In "The Master of Game," written between the years 1406 and -1413, there is a chapter on "The Otter and his Nature," illustrated by -a reproduction of an old illumination entitled "Otter Hunting." This -picture represents a hound--apparently smooth-coated--swimming an otter -in a river. On the farther bank are two hounds, and two men. One of -the latter is transfixing the otter as it swims with a long-handled, -three-pronged spear. The other man is apparently about to throw a similar -kind of spear at the otter, while holding in his left hand a second spear -with the ordinary type of single-bladed head. On the near bank are two -more men, and two hounds. One of the latter appears to be rough-coated, -or at any rate broken-haired, the other being a large, white, -smooth-coated animal. This hound is evidently a limer, as it is held in -leash by one of the men. The other man, armed with a single-bladed spear, -is stabbing the otter in the hindquarters. - -It is apparent that in those early days the chief use of the hounds was -in finding the otter, and once the latter was put down, the spears were -brought into play. In the chapter on the otter, it says: "Men hunt at -them with hounds by great mastery," and "men take them at other times in -rivers with small cords as men do the fox with nets and with other gins." - -Thus we see plainly that the otter was little thought of in those days, -except for the value afforded by his skin. In early times a lime-hound, -i.e., a hound held in leash, was used for harbouring deer and other game. -Such a hound was keen and staunch, not too fast, and was taught to run -mute, in order not to disturb the game whose exact whereabouts his master -wished to discover. The rope by which the hound was led was known as a -liam, being made of leather or silk. Both collar and lead were often -gaily coloured, and adorned with silver. - -The method of conducting the chase when hunting at an otter "with -hounds by great mastery" was no doubt similar in some respects to that -practised at present. Instead, however, of hunting the drag with the -pack, lime-hounds were used to locate the quarry, the latter being then -bolted by terriers. In the prologue to "The Master of Game," it says with -regard to dogs: "And first I will begin with raches (running hounds) -and their nature, and then greyhounds and their nature, and then alaunts -and their nature, and then spaniels and their nature, and then mastiffs -that men call curs and their nature, and then of small curs that come to -be terriers and their nature." What these terriers were like compared to -the present-day breeds, it is difficult to say, but no doubt they were -hard-bitten animals, well able to bolt otters or foxes. - -Having bolted the otter, probably several hounds were then uncoupled, -which kept the quarry on the move, so that the men got plenty of chances -to use their spears. The otter was allowed no law as is now the custom, -but was transfixed at the first opportunity. The spears were evidently -thrown at the otter, as well as used to transfix him on the shallows. - -At a later date, in Somervile's days (1735) the spear was in general -use, and it is mentioned as late as 1878 in the "Manual of British Rural -Sports" by Stonehenge. Turning to the "Otter Hunting Diary" of the late -Mr James Lomax, of Clayton Hall, which dates from 1829 to 1871, we find -no mention of the spear. In "Field and Fern" (South), by H. H. Dixon, -published in 1865, there is an account of Dr Grant, of Hawick, and his -otterhounds, without, however, any reference to spears. Although the -employment of the spear, or "otter-grains" as it was sometimes called, -was no doubt almost universally discontinued fairly early in the last -century, it was probably used till a later date by individuals who kept a -hound or two, and pursued otter, fox, and foumart after the manner of the -Scotch "tod-hunter" with his scratch pack. Nets were sometimes used in -conjunction with spears to keep an otter from reaching tidal waters. - -To-day, however, all such abominations have been done away with, and -now it is left for hounds to hunt and kill their otter, if they can, -unaided. Until a few years ago, it was customary to meet quite early in -the morning, often soon after daybreak. Nowadays, however, people are -less energetic, and it is nothing unusual to read of fixtures as late as -ten a.m. Although from a social or "love and lunch" point of view, late -meets are no doubt convenient, the same can hardly be said as regards -hunting. Some Masters of Otterhounds are averse to early meets because -they say that the drag is then often so strong that hounds are very apt -to pass over their otter. By getting to the water later the drag has lost -some of its strength, and hounds are then brought to their noses, and -travel slower, thus being less inclined to pass their otter in its holt. -Really the time of meeting should depend upon the character of the water -you intend to hunt. On a river flowing through marsh or water meadows, -where the long grass and rushes are always more or less damp and the -ground beneath them shaded from the sun, scent will lie for hours, and -there is no necessity to make a very early start. In the North, however, -where the streams are swift and rocky, and have their sources far up the -hill-sides, there is often little shade, except beside some covert, or in -some ghyll or ravine to which the sun's rays seldom penetrate. Meeting -at ten o'clock on such water, there is little chance of a good drag, -and it may mean hard work for both men and hounds before they find, and -eventually put their otter down. - -[Illustration: The Huntsman Bringing his Otter Ashore. - - (_Photo by N. Clapham_). -] - -[Illustration: K. & D.O.H. Returning to the Main River. - - (_Copyright by R. F. Lees, Blackpool_). _To face p. 79._ -] - -Many an instance comes to mind, when if hounds had been put to water -three or four hours earlier, they would have had a hot cross-country -drag, and probably a fine swimming hunt at the end of it. We have known -hounds meet at nine o'clock at the foot of a Lakeland beck, and travel -several miles up-stream without a whimper. On nearing the source, they -spoke to a drag in the depths of a shady ghyll, and carried it at a -fast pace out on to the open fell. There the sun was beating down with -tremendous power, and under its influence the drag died out. Hounds were -on the line of a travelling otter, and had they hit off the drag in the -ghyll at five or six o'clock instead of nine, they could easily have -carried it over the watershed, and down a runner which enters a tarn in -the next valley. A good hunt was thus spoilt, simply because of a late -start. - -An advantage of meeting early lies in the fact that you perhaps find -and kill your otter before the real heat of the day begins, thus making -things easier for both hounds and field. It is impossible to lay down -any hard and fast rule as regards the time of meeting, for as already -mentioned, this will be influenced by the character of the water you are -going to hunt, and, if you are dependent on subscriptions, the keenness -or otherwise of your subscribers. - -In the case of making a start with a newly organised pack, containing a -good proportion of unentered hounds, it is advisable to get out early in -the morning until such time as your hounds begin to understand their job -and take an interest in the business. Scent lies stronger both on land -and water during the early hours, and if your few entered hounds find -and mark their otter, the unentered ones have a better chance when their -quarry is eventually put down. - -To a lover of hound work, the drag left by an otter during his nightly -wanderings, provides as much of interest when hounds can own it, as the -actual hunting after the otter is afloat. With entered hounds which try -the banks carefully it is possible to find an otter without touching a -drag at all. This frequently happens after a late meet, when the huntsman -is a real trier, and can depend on his hounds. Still, we imagine that -the majority of keen otter-hunters enjoy watching the pack at work on a -drag, and the music seems a fitting prelude to the chorus that arises -when finally hounds mark and acknowledge in no uncertain tones that their -quarry is "at home." - -Under favourable conditions the scent of an otter will lie for a very -long time. In the shade, amidst tall herbage, or among the water -lilies, hounds can speak to it hours after their otter has gone, and -it is sometimes difficult to know whether they are the right way or -running heel. Then is the time to look for the seal of your otter in -the sand, mud, or other soft places, and note whether the footprints -point up-stream or down. Half the pleasure of otter-hunting is to see -hounds draw, that is if they draw well, trying every root as they go, or -swimming out to some stone in midstream on which perhaps there is a piece -of wedging. Here a hound will try a patch of water lilies, there another -will investigate a stick-heap, until at last there is a welcome note from -Thunder, Sailor, or some other member of the pack, which denotes that a -drag has at last been found. Gradually they work it out, fast or slow -according to its strength, until at last they mark at a tree-root on -the bank. If you know your hounds you can tell pretty well whether your -otter is there, or has merely run through the place and gone on. One or -two of your most trusted favourites perhaps show an inclination to push -forward up-stream, so you go ahead, taking plenty of time at all the -likely holts. Suddenly old Warrior's head goes up, he winds the air for -a second or two, then goes straight across the river, and his well-known -voice rings out as he proclaims that his otter is this time in the holt -in front of him. The others surge over, splashing the water as they go, -and a wild chorus awakens the echoes as hounds mark solidly, some of -them tearing at the bank in their eagerness to have their quarry "out -of that." There is no doubt he is at home, but if there was, you need -only watch old Boatman swimming round and round beneath the holt in an -endeavour to take the scent or "wash," to convince you that hounds are -right. - -The great advantage of meeting early lies in the fact that if there -is an otter or otters working the water that you propose to hunt, you -are practically sure of finding a drag, which at that time of day will -lie strongly. As already mentioned, otters lie rough, as well as in -holts, and may be found almost anywhere, often far from the main river. -Here is where you benefit by a warm trail, for there will be no doubt -as to the point at which your quarry left the main river, and took to -a side-runner, or out across country to some pond or other favourite -feeding ground. Supposing, however, that your otter has left a drag on -the banks of the main river, which leads hounds steadily up-stream. -If the drag is hot, the pack will run it at speed, until they finally -mark their otter in his holt, or the trail suddenly comes to an end, -and hounds are at a loss. In this case your otter may have gone on -some distance in the water, the latter having carried all scent away, -and then landed at some holt farther up. He may, too, have crossed the -stream--perhaps in deep water--and retired to a holt on the opposite -bank. Again, he may have dropped down with the current to his original -starting point, leaving no trace behind him. If the river is narrow, he -may, of course, have crossed and re-crossed it in his journey up-stream, -the same applying in a lesser degree, to a wide river. If possible, it is -wise therefore to have a number of hounds on each bank, instead of, as -some huntsmen do, crossing with the pack at shallows or other spots where -the stream can be forded. - -By keeping hounds on the one bank and crossing here and there, much water -and many a likely holt is passed over. Harking back, however, to where -hounds checked. The otter may still be in front, therefore it pays to -make good the water for some little distance up-stream. If, within a -reasonable distance, hounds hit off his landing place and mark him at a -holt, well and good, but if there is only a "touch" here and there on -which hounds feather, denoting a stale line perhaps a day or two old, it -is then advisable to try back. If hounds have carried the drag at speed, -they may, in their eagerness, have overrun their otter, and left him not -so very far behind. When casting back therefore, go slowly, and keep some -hounds if possible on both banks. Sooner or later, with anything like -luck, hounds should locate their otter on one bank or the other. Just as -an early start affords a hot drag, so does it help hounds to more easily -wind their otter in his holt, should he have crossed and left no trace -behind him in the stream. Some hounds exhibit great aptitude for winding -an otter in this manner, therefore when you see a member of the pack -throw up his head and begin testing the air, you can be fairly sure that -your otter is not far off. If, instead of meeting early you had arrived -at the water late, on the foregoing occasion, you would probably have hit -off a weak or catchy drag, and have had to go slow, trying both banks -carefully en route. If this happens on a stream which the Master knows -well, and has often hunted before, he may simply cross and re-cross the -water to the various holts from which he has put down otters on previous -occasions. Should hounds refuse to mark at any of these holts, and the -limit of the day's draw is reached, the result is a blank. - -The same thing may happen on a river which has not been hunted for a -long time. The meet is late, hounds are left to pick up a drag if they -can, the field following at their leisure, and once more it is a case of -"nothing doing" at the conclusion of the draw. It is when an otter has -left the main river via a side-stream, or travelled a long way overland -to some pond, or other retreat, that the advantage of meeting early is so -conspicuous. - -Late in the day the drag is very weak and catchy in the open, where -the sun has dried up all moisture, and even if hounds _do_ show an -inclination to turn up a runner or deviate at some point, they may not -be able to carry the line far, even if encouraged to do so. If an early -start is made, however, the drag is warm, and hounds can hit off the -place with certainty where their otter has left the river, and what is -more, they can run the line at speed, thus drawing up to their quarry's -holt, or the spot where he is lying rough, without loss of time. The -chief object of keeping a pack of otterhounds is to find, hunt, and if -possible kill your otter in a sportsmanlike manner. - -Before you can hunt him you must find him, and on nine days out of ten, -this is the hardest part of the business. An otter may be anywhere, and -of course it may so happen that the water within your day's draw is not -being worked by otters. In this case you cannot find what is not there. A -blank day then is not only excusable, but inevitable. On the other hand, -if your pack is made up of entered hounds, and you know their individual -idiosyncrasies, and have in addition a fair knowledge of the habits of -your quarry, there should be little excuse for a blank day, provided you -start early enough in the morning to afford your hounds the chance of -picking up and sticking to a decent drag. The _surest_ way of finding -an otter is to drag up to him, any other method, at any rate on rivers, -holds an enormous element of chance. On a lake or a tarn, which you -yourself _know_ is inhabited by otters, it is a different matter, for you -can then throw off in the reed-beds or other undergrowth bordering the -water, with a good hope of putting your otter down before hounds have -been long at work. - -No fixed rules are applicable to otter-hunting, or any other kind of -hunting for that matter, but it is safe to say that the Master who is a -trier, and keeps on trying, will be the one to bring to hand most otters. -Being himself of the "never say die" order, he will inculcate the same -spirit in his hounds, for a slack huntsman makes a slack pack, and vice -versa. - -The late Rev. Jack Russell, of Devonshire fame, walked some hundreds of -miles before he found his first otter. This was owing to the fact that -his hounds at the beginning were unentered to otter. When he finally got -hold of an entered hound, matters took a different turn, and he showed -capital sport, but his ill-success at first was certainly not for want of -trying. - -When hunting a river, particularly in a hilly district, a sudden flood -may put a stop to sport. When the weather is unsettled it is wise, -therefore, to allow for such a contingency, and be prepared to arrange -matters so that a smaller stream or lake can be substituted. - -A frequent reason for blank days lies in having too wide a district to -hunt. This means that certain streams are visited but once a season, -and a single day on each is not sufficient to insure sport. A certain -river is perhaps visited to-day, and hounds hit off a drag and carry -it up-stream a long way, until the hour is late, and their otter still -unfound. The next fixture is probably in another county, whereas if -hounds were put to water on the following morning at the place where they -left off, a hunt would be practically a certainty. Again, if a brace of -otters are put down, and one of them is hunted and eventually killed, a -visit to the same water on the following day would result in the survivor -providing some pretty work for hounds. There is hardly an Otter Hunt in -the kingdom but what attempts to cover more water in a season than it -can properly manage. The chances of continuous good sport are on this -account exceedingly doubtful, for unless rivers are frequently visited, -and a fair percentage of otters are killed, riparian owners, keepers, and -others will refuse to protect otters, and instead, go in for the killing -business themselves. Hunting is in this country dependent upon the -goodwill of landowners and tenants, who are as a rule only too pleased to -welcome hounds. If, however, the Hunt does not properly reduce the stock -of foxes or otters, other methods are then resorted to. The more otters -or foxes you kill in your district, the more you will have, for directly -people realise that you and your hounds mean business and are "out for -blood," they will leave it to you to do the killing, and confine their -attentions to preserving your quarry. A small district, regularly hunted, -will provide much better sport than a large one casually attended to. -The fixture card of the average Otter Hunt should show "Where leave off" -much oftener than it does at present. In a small district a Hunt is much -less dependent on trains for moving hounds from place to place, and there -is far more opportunity to "lie out" overnight at some farm or other -homestead, and thus continue hunting at the same place on the following -day. - -Harking back to the river, a great many people imagine that when hounds -hit off a line away from the water, and go full cry through a wood, -across open country, or up some tiny streamlet, that they are running -riot. That hounds occasionally run riot, more especially the young entry, -we do not for a moment deny, but when a pack of entered hounds performs -in the above manner, they are not rioting, but running the line of a -travelling otter. The huntsman then, instead of blowing his horn while -the whippers-in rate and attempt to stop hounds, should put his best -leg foremost and try to keep in touch, so that if hounds check, after -covering perhaps a mile or two, he will be there or thereabouts and have -a good idea what to do. - -We have vivid recollections of a day on which hounds hit off the line -of an otter that had stolen away from a rock-holt without being seen or -tallied. She, for it was a young bitch otter, left the main stream with -a good start, and turned up a runner which lay in a deep, narrow valley. -At the head of this valley the otter turned left-handed and crossed over -more than a mile of open country comprising the watershed. Descending the -other side, she entered a stream via a hanging covert on the near bank. -When hounds hit off her line, they raced up the valley with evidently a -screaming scent. At the top they hovered for an instant, then swept on -left-handed over the hill. The huntsman, who was convinced that they were -running riot, attempted to stop them, and succeeded in getting hold of -some of them, but the others went on, and we could hear them speaking -merrily in the direction of the stream in the valley below. We passed the -huntsman, blowing his horn, with a couple or two of hounds round him, and -on asking him what was the matter, he said hounds were rioting. Seeing we -did not believe him, he reluctantly followed on, and to cut a long story -short, hounds eventually killed their otter handsomely, after dusting her -up and down the stream for some three-quarters of an hour. We can see the -expression on that huntsman's face yet, when hounds collared their otter, -and he was obliged to acknowledge he had been in the wrong, while his -hounds had been right. - -Now the first lesson a huntsman, professional or amateur, has to learn is -to _trust his hounds_. If he can't do this, he had better leave hunting -alone, and look for another job. Once your hounds are properly entered, -and you know their individual traits and idiosyncrasies, always trust -to what _they_ say about it, and pay no attention to the utterances of a -sceptical field, many of whom know little or nothing about the science -of hunting. The line hounds are running may perhaps seem a very unusual -one, even to you, but if Rouser, Thunder, Marksman, and a few more of -your trusted favourites are voicing the fact that an otter is in front -of them, then you can bet your life it is so, and your job is to keep -in touch with them if possible. Always remember that an otter may be -found anywhere, and may do anything once he is afoot or afloat. The only -certain thing about him is his variability. You will learn something -new about him every day you go out with hounds, and if you store up the -information thus obtained, it will come in mighty useful on many a future -occasion. - -The Master who hunts his own hounds should study the habits of otters -in winter as well as in summer. After a prolonged snow-fall a visit -to one or other of his rivers, lakes, etc., will afford a variety of -useful information regarding the whereabouts and the doings of otters. -Their tracks will be plain enough in the snow, and by following these -footprints a knowledge of the various routes traversed by otters will be -gained, and many a long forgotten drain or other hiding-place discovered. -The lessons thus learnt will come in mighty useful when the hunting -season again begins. When thus scouting his country, he should not forget -to drop in at the mill, or the various farmsteads near the river. The -miller can be a good friend, or, if he likes, a bad enemy, and the same -applies to farm-hands, and other people who work on the land. A chat with -the farmer and his wife goes a long way towards smoothing the ground for -hunting, and a friendly word and a pipe of baccy with the river-watchers -and labourers ensures amicable relations, and paves the way towards -encouraging an interest in hounds and hunting. - -It is the Master who is thus on the job in winter as well as summer who -gets plenty of good walks for his puppies, and is free to hunt when -and where he likes during the season. On his journeys he will hear -much about otters and their doings, a great deal of which information, -however, he will take with the proverbial pinch of salt. Half the people -you meet, even those who live near rivers, have never seen an otter, -although there are, of course, certain individuals whose information -is to be depended on. These are few and far between, however, and the -wise Master will trust to his own powers of observation, rather than to -reports of hypothetical otters, which in the end turn out to have been -black cats, or some other animals seen near the water at dusk. - -Harking back to our hunting, however, hounds have marked their otter in -his holt in a root or some other retreat, and the next job is to evict -him. Hounds are called off and taken back out of sight in a nearby field, -and the terriers come on the scene. Vic or Vengeance is sent in, and -very soon there are sounds underground betokening "something doing." The -barking ceases for a moment, and then a dark brown object glides out -through the tangled roots, there is a slight splash, and a long chain of -bubbles as the otter takes to the river. A shrill tally-ho! brings hounds -pell-mell to the scene of action, and the hunt is on. It all sounds very -easy, and sometimes is so, but on other occasions the otter refuses to -bolt, or the terriers cannot bring sufficient pressure to bear, so there -is nothing for it but send to the nearest farmhouse for tools. Spades, -pick, and crowbar are soon on the spot, and there may then ensue some -strenuous digging, before the terriers are located, and finally the -otter. Occasionally, when the terriers are sent in, a rabbit or rabbits -may bolt, or even as has happened before now, a fox. Then is the time you -are likely to hear subdued remarks from sceptical members of your field. -Take no notice of that. Your hounds say their otter is there, believe -them, no matter how many rabbits appear. Otters lie very close at times, -often till you dig right up to them, and on such an occasion you will -have the laugh on the "doubting Thomases," when you pull little terrier -Vengeance out by the stern, and your otter takes to the river. If a -terrier can get behind his otter, he will generally persuade the quarry -to bolt, but if the otter backs up into a cul-de-sac, the dog is obliged -to face him in front, and if the terrier is a real "sticker" he will hold -his otter there until the diggers work down to the spot. - -Otters will lie up in rabbit burrows, drains, tree-roots, and sometimes -in fox or badger earths. Rock-holts are also favourite places on the -north country rivers. Where there are several side-drains branching off -a main drain, it is often difficult for the terriers to locate their -otter. Some rock-holts, too, are practically impregnable, and the same -applies to many a big head of earths in covert. Occasionally an otter may -be persuaded to bolt when other means have failed, by getting a number -of people to jump on top of the holt, the party doing so in unison. When -digging or terrier operations are going on, someone should be stationed -where they can keep watch for the otter bolting. If the quarry can slip -out under water, he may get away undetected, unless a bright look out -is kept. During the time that digging is going on, the field should be -made to stand well back from the scene of operations. When they crowd -round the place, as the average field so often does, they are a nuisance -to the diggers, and talk so much that it is often impossible to hear the -terriers underground. Again, should an otter bolt from a drain, and have -some distance to go before reaching the water, the field are nearly sure -to start halloing, with the result that hounds break away and arrive on -the scene ere the otter has had fair law. - -Once the otter is afloat, the next thing is to keep him going until -hounds tire him out, and at last gain their reward. The field should now -spread out at intervals, along the bank, and _stand still_. By doing so -each individual can watch the water in front of him, and tally when he -is certain he sees the otter. When the field persists in rushing up and -down the banks they are a nuisance to both hounds and huntsman. Standing -still, and keeping a bright look out, they can be of the greatest -service, and at the same time they see more sport than when constantly -shifting their positions. After he has been hunted for some time, the -otter will begin to show himself, and it is then perfectly legitimate -for the watcher to tally-ho if he sees the otter. Unless, however, he is -sure that it is the otter, he had best keep silent. A salmon in rapid -water, or a moorhen crossing a pool, has often deceived a watcher on the -bank, therefore make sure before tallying. Also, never tally because -someone else says he has seen the otter, see it yourself first. It may -be necessary to send some of the field to form a "stickle" across the -shallows, above or below the scene of action. These people must keep -a sharp look out, watching the water carefully. If they do their work -properly, the otter should not get past them without being seen. If the -hunt gradually works up-stream, the people on the lower stickle should -not be forgotten. Some signal, say a few notes on the whistle, should be -given in order to let them know that they are at liberty to leave their -posts. - -[Illustration: No. 5. - -TALLY-HO!] - -In rapid, or deep water, an otter will often pass an experienced hunter -without being tallied, particularly if it is moving close to the farther -bank. The angle at which the light falls on the water often makes -it extremely difficult to detect an otter as it passes. After being -hunted for some length of time, the otter shows himself more and more -frequently. He may vary the water work by making an excursion overland, -or running the length of a nearby wood. Perhaps he takes refuge in a -holt, and is then bolted by the terriers. Anyway, if things go right, the -time comes when he can do no more, and he dies fighting on the shallows, -leaving his mark on nearly every hound. The huntsman at last gets the -pack to leave him, not using a whip, but pushing hounds off with knees, -hands, and pole, after which he slips the carcass under water for a -minute or two until he recovers his wind, and then carries it ashore. -There it is weighed, mask, pole, and pads are severed, the carcass is -slit up, and tossed to the eagerly expectant pack. "Hi, worry, worry, -worry," "Who-whoop! tear him and eat him." After blowing the "rattle," -and cheering hounds to keep up the excitement, the various trophies are -distributed, and one's thoughts then turn in the direction of certain -bottles which are snugly reposing in a friend's car on the nearest -highway. - -[Illustration: A Kill with the K. & D.O.H. - - (_Copyright by Mrs. R. F. Lees, Blackpool_). -] - -[Illustration: Hi, Worry, Worry! - - (_Copyright by R. F. Lees, Blackpool_). _To face p. 102._ -] - -Early, or late in the season, when the weather is boisterous and the -water cold, it pays to hold up a few couples of hounds, reserving them -until the working pack has had about enough of it. Then at the right -moment, throw in your reserves and make a quick finish. This plan is -especially applicable to lake hunting, when hounds are continually -swimming in deep water. - -When hounds are on a drag, or have put down their otter, the huntsman -should encourage them, cheering them on to any particular hound which has -made a hit, and the same when they mark solidly at a root. There is no -need to be noisy, but hounds work all the better for encouragement, and a -bit of excitement at a holt teaches young hounds to mark their otter. To -make a success of otter-hunting, or any other kind of hunting for that -matter, a man must use his brains, and to some extent call on his powers -of imagination. - -A chapter on hunting is hardly complete without some mention of that -elusive mystery called scent, so a few words will be devoted to it here. -You get good and bad scenting days in otter-hunting just as you do -when hunting fox or hare, but the chase of the otter has the advantage -of being conducted both on land and water, and if scent is bad on the -latter, it may be quite the reverse if your otter takes to terra firma. -Sometimes it is good on both, though it may happen that an otter which -has been hustled about the woods or across country apparently gives off -little scent when he returns to the water. A bitch otter in cub, or one -with a young family, appears to often give off little or no scent, and -where hunting takes place on a river polluted by oil, or other foreign -matter, scent is generally conspicuous by its absence. Scent varies too -at different times of day. In the early morning, before the sun has -dispelled the dew, it is generally good, but dies away as the atmosphere -becomes warmer. When the sun begins to sink and the air becomes damp -again, scent is likely to freshen; while a shower of rain may affect it -in the same way. The vagaries of scent are impossible to foretell with -anything like certainty, and perhaps it is as well so, otherwise sport -would become too cut and dried, and would lose much of its interest on -that account. - -Occasionally an otter takes refuge behind weiring or in some other -retreat, that necessitates pulling down a certain amount of the -obstruction before he can be evicted. In this case, permission from -the owner or tenant of the place should be obtained before beginning -operations. In the same way, should the owner or tenant object to the -presence of hounds on his land, always be civil, no matter what he -says, and take hounds away without any argument. The life of the sport -depends upon the existence of amicable relations between the Hunt and -the owners of the land which they cross. Although terriers can as a rule -bolt an otter if they can get to him, ferrets have been used for the -same purpose before to-day. Both otters and foxes have on occasion been -bolted from rabbit burrows during ferreting operations. In some countries -artificial drains or holts have been constructed for the use of otters, -but there is usually a good deal of uncertainty as to whether the otters -will take to such abodes. Where old drains run a long way into the land, -with possibly a number of branch drains, it is often wise to place iron -gratings at some distance from the mouth, in order to facilitate matters -when it comes to bolting an otter. As the great charm about otter-hunting -is its freedom from artificiality, _made_ holts or drains need hardly be -encouraged, except perhaps in extreme cases where there is no suitable -lying-up place for otters over a long stretch of water. - -When hunting hounds, the Master will be assisted in the field by two -whippers-in, which may consist of the paid kennelman, and an amateur. -Their job is to keep hounds in check when necessary, prevent rioting, -if any, and keep in touch with the pack should hounds go off across -country with a screaming scent. Taking it for granted that the paid hand -knows his job, the amateur should be equally proficient. He must keep a -keen look out as he goes for signs of otters, as well as hidden drains, -etc., and he must know the names of all the hounds and their individual -idiosyncrasies, so as to tell instantly if they are inclined to riot, or -they show an inclination to mark at roots, or take a line away from the -river. Speaking broadly, the whippers-in prevent hounds going too fast -and outpacing the Master and the field, but it should be remembered that -hounds can be kept _too much_ in check, and by so doing they are balked -in their desire to hunt, as well as drive on when scenting conditions are -good. In fox or hare hunting, the huntsman's place is with his hounds, -whether they are drawing or running, and there appears to be no good -reason why an otter-huntsman should not "get a move on" when his hounds -push ahead on a hot drag, or drive along across country. It is quite -as necessary to run, and often run hard, with otterhounds, as to ride -hard with foxhounds, and the huntsman who takes his own time whilst -his whipper-in is bursting himself across country is surely lacking in -keenness. - -Although otter-hunting does not call for as much quickness on the part -of the huntsman as fox-hunting, we still must confess we like to see -a huntsman of otterhounds show some agility when his hounds run fast. -This particularly applies to hunting in the north, where otters so often -cross steep watersheds. A great deal of valuable time is frequently lost, -simply because the huntsman prefers to take his own time, instead of -attempting to keep in close touch with hounds, and thus be on the spot -should they momentarily require his assistance. As far as the field are -concerned, it is their own fault if they are left behind when hounds -run. When travelling with hounds on the highway, however, the huntsman -and whippers-in should go at a reasonable pace, so as to give the field -a chance--particularly the ladies--to be there when hounds are put to -water. Racing ahead with hounds on the roads gets the pack into the habit -of pushing on when there is really no need for it, so a reasonable -walking pace should be aimed at. - -When hounds have put their otter down, or "hit him abroad," to use an old -expression, and are swimming him, the huntsman should keep on the shallow -side of the river, more particularly if the farther bank is thickly -overgrown with willows or other cover. From the shallow side he has a -clear view of what his hounds are doing, and if it is necessary to pole -the farther bank if an otter persists in hanging there, he should ask one -of his whippers-in, or some experienced member of the field to do it for -him. - -With regard to clothing and etceteras for otter-hunting, little need be -said here. Hunt uniforms are usually made of woollen serge material, -which dries quickly, and withstands a lot of rough usage. Shorts are -sometimes worn, but in our experience loose knickerbockers are much -preferable, particularly for hunt officials who may have to force their -way through briers or other undergrowth in the execution of their duty. -Bare knees and thorns do not associate well together, while breeches of -the semi-riding type are too tight-fitting, and retain water. Boots or -shoes should be well nailed to prevent slipping, preferably with soft, -wrought-iron hobs, which get a better grip on rocks than steel nails. -An iron-shod pole of ash or hazel--the latter is light yet strong--is -necessary for crossing deep or swift water, and in some districts as -an aid to jumping wide ditches and open drains. A pole shod with a -double-pronged spike is less liable to slip than one armed with a single -spike. Likewise a pole cut from the growing tree or sapling looks more -workmanlike than a "made" one, ornamented with a fancy metal head or -other embellishment. With regard to the whip, for use by Hunt officials, -one with a short lash is to be preferred, for it can be far more easily -cracked when the user is standing in water than a long-lashed affair. - -The huntsman who cannot blow an ordinary horn without unnecessary -discords will be well advised to secure a reed-horn. Every call can be -sounded on this, with the exception of that "to call hounds away," and -for this quite a good substitute can be blown. When using the horn, he -should employ distinct calls, then both hounds and field know what he -means. Some huntsmen blow the same note all day long, and hounds take no -heed of it, while the monotonous sound gets on the nerves of the field. - -Nowadays the otter-hunting season extends from April to September, but in -the fourteenth century it lasted from February to June. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -HOUNDS AND TERRIERS - - -The average otterhound pack to-day is usually composed of foxhounds, -cross-bred hounds, and a few couples of pure, rough-coated otterhounds. -In the old days the latter predominated in most packs, and it is only -of late years that the foxhound has come to the fore in the pursuit of -_Lutra_. - -The origin of the rough-coated hound is more or less shrouded in -mystery, but it is pretty safe to say that he is closely related to -the bloodhound. If true to type he possesses many of the bloodhound's -characteristics, including the long pendulous ears, the deep-set -eye showing the haw, and the black and tan colour which so often -predominates. The rough coat was gained by a cross of some sort, but it -is impossible to say with certainty what this cross was. The wire-haired -Welsh harrier may have had something to do with it, and again it is quite -likely that the old hard-coated Lancashire harrier may have been used for -the same purpose. It is possible, too, that the old southern hound was -crossed with the bloodhound, while there are those who believe that the -French griffon had a share in the business. Thus we see that the rough -outer coat may have come from a variety of sources, but the thick, woolly -under-coat is no doubt a provision of nature to protect the hound from -the effects of frequent and long-continued immersion in the water. This -under coat is worn by the Chesapeake Bay dog, a breed of retriever much -used by wildfowl shooters in America. - -In the fourteenth century raches or running hounds--known later simply as -hounds--were of various kinds. In the "Master of Game" it says: "There be -also many kinds of running hounds, some small and some big, and the small -be called kenets, and these hounds run well to all manner of game, and -they (that) serve for all game men call them harriers. And every hound -that hath that courage will come to be a harrier by nature with little -making." - -Harrier was in those days spelt heyrer, and it was not until after the -sixteenth century that the modern spelling came into vogue. It was -probably derived from the Anglo-Saxon _herian_, to harry or disturb. In -the "Boke of St Albans" it says that the hart, the buck, and the boar -should be started by a limer, and that all "other bestes that huntyd -shall be sought for and found by Ratches so free." Thus it appears that -all beasts that were enchased were moved by a lime-hound, while those -that were hunted up were found by raches. The otter-hunting illustration -in the "Master of Game" shows five hounds, one of which is on leash, and -appears to be a limer. The otter was certainly not enchased in those -days, being looked upon as vermin, yet as the picture shows a limer at -work, it is possible that lime-hounds were sometimes used for other game -than the recognised beasts of chase. The hound shown swimming the otter -is bloodhound-like, while two smaller hounds appear to have broken coats. -In the fourteenth century the otter and various other creatures, such -as the rabbit, fox, wild cat, etc., were hunted by _biss hunters_ (fur -hunters) for their skins, and no doubt the smaller breed of hounds then -known as heyrers were employed in their capture. - -Coming down to modern times, there are, as far as we are aware, but -two existing otterhound packs entirely composed of pure, rough-coated -otterhounds. All other establishments employ mixed packs. Cross-bred -hounds are usually the result of a union between a pure otterhound bitch -and a foxhound. The majority of foxhounds which find their way to the -otterhound kennels have been drafted for over-height, age, or faults. -They are often presented to the M.O.H., or he buys them at a low figure. -Having purchased or otherwise got together sufficient hounds to make a -start, you can gradually weed them out, retaining the best workers for -future breeding operations. It is perhaps unnecessary to state that you -must have a couple or two of entered hounds to begin with, otherwise you -are likely to walk as far as the Rev. Jack Russell did before you find -an otter. As regards cross-bred hounds, the first cross may be capital -workers, but it is doubtful if much good comes from breeding from them. - -One sees all shapes, makes, and sizes of rough hounds in the various -packs, but the best bred ones are big, upstanding animals, from -twenty-two to twenty-four or more inches in height. Speaking from our -own experience, we have found the majority of rough hounds to be much -more clumsy and less active than foxhounds. Their feet, too, are often -inclined to be open and flat, and they lack the heart and stamina of the -foxhound. There are, of course, exceptions, and we have come across rough -hounds that were capital workers, but take them all round they are too -big and clumsy, at any rate for work on rough, rocky streams. Despite -their rough jackets, they suffer from the effects of long immersion -in water far more than the foxhound, whose short, smooth coat is dry -after a shake or two. In addition they are not such good doers as the -foxhound, and require more attention after hunting. They are also apt to -be quarrelsome in kennel. Many of them possess extremely fine noses, and -can speak to a line a day or two old, but this is of no practical help in -hunting, because it is impossible to drag up to an otter that has been -so long gone. They swim well, and often draw well when swimming, but the -foxhound is quite their equal in this respect. In our experience the -hound that can wind his otter across the stream and go straight to him is -more often a foxhound than a rough hound. - -[Illustration: A Famous Otterhound, Mr W. Thompson's "Snowdrop." - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). -] - -[Illustration: Some of Mr W. Thompson's Rough Otterhounds. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). _To face p. 116._ -] - -The foxhound, too, is usually a better marker once he has entered -properly, and when it comes to holding and killing an otter, the rough -hound cannot compare with him. Across country, too, and when an otter -runs through covert, the foxhound's dash and drive at once put him -in the lead. The rough hound has a resonant, musical voice, and a -picturesque appearance, but taking him all round, from a solely _working_ -point of view, he is, in our humble opinion, inferior to the foxhound, -particularly on rough, rocky rivers, where a light-built, active type of -hound shows to advantage. Custom ordains that hounds for otter-hunting -should be rough jacketed, and by employing cross-bred or rough Welsh -foxhounds you get the rough coat, without the undesirable qualities found -in the pure otterhounds. - -The latter show to the best advantage in low-lying country, where the -rivers are slow running, and the going easy. In these days, when meets -are late and time is valuable, pure otterhounds with their tender noses -dwell and revel on the drag instead of pushing forward. The foxhound, on -the other hand, may feather on a stale line, but he will not as a rule -open unless the drag is fairly fresh. When he does throw his tongue, you -can confidently cheer the others to him, knowing that your otter is not -so very far in front. Although we cannot deny that the deep, resonant -music of a pack of pure otterhounds is delightful to listen to, something -more than the "band" is required to kill an otter. - -Foxhounds, cross-breds, and Welsh hounds throw their tongues well -enough, and in addition they possess dash and drive, with little or no -inclination to dwell. Foxhounds, before they have entered properly, draw -wide and will not always stick to the river, but if they have done a few -season's stag-hunting--thus being used to water work--they generally -enter well to otter and draw closely enough. A hound may not take any -interest in the sport during his first season, but the following season -he may prove to be one of the best. Unfortunately the majority of draft -foxhounds are aged before they find their way to the otterhound kennels, -therefore any lengthy delay in entering to their new quarry shortens the -period of their usefulness, that at the best cannot be very long. - -Aged foxhounds after a time show an inclination to dwell and revel in -the scent, and when this happens it is a sign that their utility is -coming to an end. If possible always get hold of foxhounds which throw -their tongues freely, and have nothing whatever to do with a mute hound. -However closely you keep an eye on the latter, he will sooner or later -get away "on his own," and be the means of spoiling more than one good -hunt. No matter how good a mute hound is in his work, get rid of him, for -unless he lets you know what he is doing he is useless to you. Likewise, -never on any consideration be tempted to breed from a mute hound. Rough -otterhounds cannot stand punishment like the foxhound, and will howl and -kick up a dreadful racket if hurt, or hit with the whip for some fault. - -It is during the course of a long hunt in heavy or chilly water that -the average rough otterhound will pull out and sit shivering on the -bank, while the foxhounds are keeping their otter on the move. In our -experience, the foxhound is a much better fresh-finder than the pure -otterhound, and it is the hounds good at fresh-finding and keeping -their otter going that do most towards bringing the quarry to hand. At -the end of a long day, too, the cross-breds and foxhounds will return -to kennels with their sterns up, while many of the rough sort exhibit a -very depressed appearance. They never seem to pick their feet up like -a foxhound, but shuffle about in an ungainly fashion. When it comes to -killing an otter, the foxhound has it all his own way. Time and again -we have seen him seize and hold a big otter, often shaking his quarry -like a fox. The rough hound often fails in this respect, for he has not -the courage to make him a good seizer and killer. A foxhound which comes -to the otterhound kennels with the reputation of being a good marker -nearly always keeps up his fame in the same way when entered to otter. -Good marking hounds are the mainstay of any pack. As far as brains are -concerned, the foxhound appears to make more use of his "grey matter" -than the rough hound, and shows more initiative and individuality. His -pace and activity, too, are beyond question, both of which qualities are -of the greatest assistance when swimming an otter, and more particularly -when hunting one across country or through extensive coverts. It is -the active hounds which score so often on rough and rocky rivers, for -drive and pace are an occasion quite as necessary in otter-hunting as -fox-hunting. - -The cross between foxhound and rough otterhound possesses many of the -attributes of the former, including a rough jacket, and thus is admirably -fitted for the pursuit of _Lutra_. - -Turning to Welsh hounds, some of which have rough, and others smooth -coats, we find a breed admirably suited to both fox and otter-hunting. -Many Welsh hounds are white or nearly so, while others are the old -black-and-tan colour. The English foxhound of standard type is bigger and -has more substance than the Welsh hound, but the latter excels in nose -and tongue, and can stand any amount of hard work in rough country. In -our experience, too, Welsh hounds--particularly those of the smaller -type--are very active, and have plenty of drive, while they are often -capital markers, and can hold and kill an otter quite as quickly as any -English foxhound. - -Another type of hound admirably suited to otter-hunting is the -fell-foxhound of Cumberland and Westmorland. He is for the most part a -light-built, active sort, with a capital nose, and any amount of tongue. -In the Lakes and certain districts adjoining, fell-hounds often hunt -fox in winter and otter in summer. The fell-hounds are kennelled in the -fox-hunting season, but go out to walk in summer, and generally a few -couples are lent to the local otterhounds for the chase of _Lutra_. In -our experience fell-hounds enter quickly to otter, and on our rough and -rocky northern rivers they are very hard to beat as all round performers. -Many of them are capital markers, and they will hunt a drag, and kill an -otter with the best. - -Turning to the "Otter-hunting Diary" of the late Mr James Lomax, of -Clayton Hall, who kept a pack from 1829 to 1871, we find an illustration -of the old Lancashire harrier or foumart-hound. The picture shows a -couple of rough-haired hounds in full cry, which appear a medium-sized, -light-built, active type; more suggestive of the rough Welsh foxhound -than the modern otterhound. Mr Lomax used these foumart-hounds in -crossing with his otterhounds. In another illustration, showing some of -the pack in 1835, the type of hound appears to be lighter-built and more -active-looking than the big, present-day rough otterhound. - -The tendency with English foxhounds has been to breed them much bigger -than was the case in former years, and the same apparently applies to -the rough otterhound. Certainly a tall hound can wade where a smaller -hound is obliged to swim, but a medium-sized, active type is less -clumsy, and more fitted for work on rocky streams than the heavy hounds -now seen in most packs. From a purely working point of view, a pack -composed of English, Welsh, and fell-foxhounds would be very hard to -beat. By judicious crossing, an ideal pack could be bred, retaining to -a great extent the rough coat of the Welsh hound, if that was thought -indispensable to the appearance of the pack. - -Although draft foxhounds are generally used for otter-hunting, it pays -to get hold of a bitch or two and breed from them. By so doing you can -gradually get together a pack composed of hounds of the desired sort, and -if you are lucky you may be able to hunt fox with them in the winter, and -thus keep hounds in condition for their summer work. Hounds, like human -beings, get very fed-up with continual road exercise, therefore a bit of -winter hunting appeals to them far more than the dull routine of exercise -walks. - -Next in importance to the hounds are the terriers, for without their -help it would be impossible to eject an otter from his holt. The most -important quality in a terrier is gameness, for no matter how well built -he is, if he has not the courage to go below ground and stay with his -otter until the latter bolts, or the diggers unearth him, he is not -worth his keep. Provided he is thoroughly game, and not too big, it -matters not how a terrier is bred. He is there to work, and not to be -looked at. Roughly speaking, a terrier of about 14 lb. weight will be -suited to otter-hunting. As, apart from bolting otters, he will not be -called upon to do any great amount of travelling over rough country, -short legs are no great drawback to him. For all that, however, we -like to see a terrier with a fair length of leg, for there are certain -holts, particularly amongst rocks, where an otter can command the upper -position, and a short-legged terrier is much handicapped when trying to -get at him. A terrier should have a fair head and jaw, and he should -be as narrow in front as is compatible with adequate heart and lung -room. A narrow-fronted dog can always get into a smaller place than a -broad-chested one, even if he is longer on the leg. A terrier that will -lie up close to an otter and move him with his tongue is preferable to -one that goes straight in to the attack. His barking eventually gets on -the otter's nerves and causes him to get "out of that," while should the -otter refuse to bolt, the terrier's voice is a guide as to where to dig. -A terrier soon learns his job, and after getting mauled a time or two by -otters, he will make more use of his tongue than his teeth. When entering -a puppy for the first time, choose an easy place, so that the youngster -has a fair chance to get in touch with his otter. - -As to the colour of a terrier, good ones--like horses--come in all -colours. White is perhaps preferable, as a white terrier is less likely -to be mistaken for the otter by hounds at a kill. Certainly white -terriers appear to suffer fewer casualties in this respect than coloured -ones. As to whether terriers should run loose with hounds is a question -the Master must settle for himself. When terriers are loose, there is -always the chance that cubs may be chopped by them, though to set against -such a contretemps, many an otter is found and put down by the terriers. -Again, coloured terriers running loose may be killed or badly mauled by -hounds, when the latter are hard at their otter. - -During the season of 1921, with the K. and D.O.H., we had two coloured -terriers worried by hounds, one of which recovered but the other died the -same night. The otter, which was getting beat, took to land, and hounds -collared him as he left the water, the terriers being seized by some of -the pack in mistake for their quarry. Had those terriers been in the -couples at the time, they would have been saved. It is really safest to -lead the terriers until they are wanted, and after bolting their otter -they should be got hold of again as soon as possible. The same when -hounds are worrying their otter, always pick up the terriers if any of -them are loose. - -In order that hounds shall keep fit and well, they must receive proper -attention in the kennel. Less flesh is needed for feeding otterhounds -than foxhounds, because they do their work in summer, and both the -season of the year and the work itself do not make so great a call on -their powers as does the chase of the fox in winter. During the off -season, otterhounds should be exercised for two or three hours daily, -and as the hunting season approaches the exercise can be gradually -lengthened. With a pack of cross-bred, Welsh, or English foxhounds, it -is possible to hunt otters in summer and fox in winter, and where this -can be done, hounds will, of course, keep perfectly fit. In the case of -the fell-foxhounds, those hunting otter in summer return to their own -kennels for the winter fox-catching. As far as food is concerned, this -should always be given thick, rather than soft and sloppy. Hounds splash -"slop" into their eyes, and get particles of it up their nostrils, to the -detriment of both sight and olfactory powers. On the return from hunting, -cuts and bruises should be attended to, and thorns, etc., extracted. -Hounds' coats should also be brushed, and burrs, etc., removed. Rough -hounds require more looking after in this respect than smooth-coated -ones. The huntsman should see that his hounds are fed and properly bedded -down before he attends to his own wants. If hounds look well and hunt -well, you can rest assured that your huntsman or feeder is paying proper -attention to the pack in kennel. As regards kennels, these need not be -of an expensive nature, but the drainage and general sanitation _must_ -be adequate if hounds are to keep fit. Wherever waste matter is present, -either in the boiling house, feeding place, or yards, there will disease -germs gather, and complaints amongst hounds will be for ever breaking -out. The old adage "Cleanliness is next to godliness" applies as much to -hounds and their kennels as it does to human beings and their houses. - -Some huntsmen are apt to let hounds get very much out of condition -during the winter months, instead of exercising regularly, which means -that on the approach of the hunting season all sorts of physic is used -in an attempt to get them fit again. It is quite safe to say that the -less medicine you employ about the kennels the better, and there will be -little or no need for it if hounds are rationally fed and exercised in -the winter. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -REMINISCENCES - - -There are very few Masters in the country who hunt fox in winter and -otter in summer with the same hounds, and fewer still we imagine who have -killed an otter and a fox on the same day. The latter feat was performed -by the Master of the South Tetcott, whose hounds found and killed an -otter on the River Othery, after which they unkennelled a fox cub, and -after rattling him about a bit, eventually brought him to hand. - -One of the few packs hunting both fox and otter is the Ynsfor, a -private pack owned by Major Evan Jones. His country lies in Carnarvon -and Merioneth, Snowdon and the adjoining mountains lying within its -borders. The Master is his own huntsman, and hounds are followed on foot, -owing to the precipitous nature of the country. The pack is composed -of the old Welsh breed, some rough and some smooth, with many of the -old black-and-tan colour amongst them. These hounds have been in Major -Jones's family since 1765. - -Probably few people have been out with both foxhounds and otterhounds on -the same day, but we can plead guilty to having accomplished this feat. -Before the L.D.O.H. were disbanded, hounds met very early one morning, -but failed to get an otter afloat, and when they returned to kennels we -went off and joined the Coniston Foxhounds, and eventually saw Reynard -accounted for. - -A great many people appear to have a rooted idea that an otter is a -slow-moving, clumsy creature, which never leaves the vicinity of water. -Such an assumption is, to say the least of it, inaccurate, as anyone can -easily testify, particularly those who have done much otter-hunting on -the rocky rivers of the north. In a previous chapter we have mentioned -a hunt during which the otter crossed a watershed, and this brings to -mind a seven and a half hours' hunt by the K. and D.O.H. on the River -Lune in the season of 1921. The otter was lying rough in a hanging wood -overlooking the river, and was found by a little fell-foxhound named -Cragsman, belonging to the Ullswater pack. After some up and down work -on the river, our otter stole away on land, and crossed some fields to a -small stream which runs between steep banks. There was a screaming scent, -and hounds fairly flew in pursuit. The otter ran the small stream nearly -to the top of the ghyll, then turned and came back. In a rock-bound pool -he lay low, but hounds were soon at him again. The pool lay between -smooth and slippery walls of rock, and at first the otter barely showed -his nose. Suddenly, however, he made a terrific spring--his hind legs no -doubt getting purchase on a ledge below the surface of the water--and all -but got clear of the pool. He hung for a brief instant on the rock wall, -making the picture of a lifetime for anyone lucky enough to have been -there with a camera, then he turned and fell with a splash into the pool. -It was a miracle how he got clear, but get away he did to run the fields -again, and take refuge in a rabbit burrow on the bank of the main river. -Hounds were taken away, and after a bit of work the terriers bolted him. -He took down stream, and after the pack was laid on, a couple of hounds -collared him on the shallows. He appeared to fling these hounds off as if -they were straws, then he shot into a pool, raising a splash and a wake -like a hydroplane as he crossed it. - -Reaching the farther bank, he at once took to the hanging wood, and went -straight up it. He gained a short start by this manoeuvre, then the pack -was roaring in his wake. Running the wood like a fox, it looked at first -as if he was going right out at the top, but he turned and came down -again, crossed the river and took refuge in a strong root holt. Some -time was spent digging before he could be ejected, and when he was at -last obliged to bolt, he again went straight across the river and took -to the wood. Hounds drove him round it, and he once more took the water. -Here he entered a long but not very deep pool, and hounds swam him down -it, then he turned and hounds checked. There was little or no cover on -the banks, but he got out without being seen, the first warning we had -of his departure being given by a young, rough hound which hit off his -line in the wood. This time he ran straight out to the top of the covert, -turned left-handed and crossed the open fields for more than a mile, just -beating hounds to a drain, the grating of which had been moved, where he -got in and was eventually left. - -We viewed this otter several times at close quarters, and estimated his -weight at nearer 30 lb. than 25 lb. - -He showed extraordinary running powers and activity for so large an -otter, and it was hard luck on hounds that he beat them. - -There was a screaming scent on land, but when he took the water for the -last time, hounds had some difficulty in owning the wash. That otter -would most certainly have convinced anyone who was sceptical of _Lutra's_ -activity and running powers. - -We have already mentioned the fondness that otters have--particularly -in Canada--for sliding. When engaged in this amusement, they tuck their -forelegs in, and toboggan down the bank on their stomachs. This season -(1921), whilst the Coniston Foxhounds were hunting on the fells, a -couple and a half of hounds ran a fox in the direction of an earth on -which some of the field were standing. About the same time, an otter -suddenly ran out from some rocks near the main earth, and after going -some distance, tucked in its head and forelegs, and actually _rolled_ -some yards downhill. We were on the opposite side of the valley at the -time, but a very keen and experienced fox and otter hunter who was there, -and witnessed the incident, said that he had never seen anything like it -before in his life. - -A name to conjure with in the annals of Lakeland otter-hunting is that -of the late Bobby Troughton. He was born on Fellside, Kendal, in 1836. In -the early eighties he purchased three hounds, "Raleigh," "Ragman," and -"Londesborough," and with these three hounds and a couple of terriers he -began to hunt the local rivers. Having thus formed the nucleus of a pack, -he gradually added to it and improved it, until the late Mr Courtenay -Tracy, M.O.H., said there was not another pack like it in England. -Bobby's heaviest otter was a big dog weighing 32 lb., and was killed in -Rydal Lake. One of his most famous hunts took place in Lever's Water on -the Coniston fells. Hounds met at 5 a.m. at the foot of Yewdale Beck, and -striking a hot drag at once, went out towards the hills. Near the edge of -the tarn they put their otter down, and he at once took to the water. For -nine hours he kept hounds going, and it was not until some of the field -volunteered to go to Coniston for a boat--no small undertaking--that -Bobby was able to get afloat himself, and give his hounds a helping hand. -At long last the otter attempted to land, and hounds collared him, thus -earning their reward. - -[Illustration: K. & D.O.H. Moving Off to Draw. - - (_Copyright by R. F. Lees, Blackpool_). -] - -[Illustration: Going to the Meet by Ferry on Lake Windermere. - - (_Photo by R. Clapham_). _To face p. 139._ -] - -At one time in the north, packs of rough hounds were kept for hunting -otter, marten, and foumart. One of the last of these packs to hunt in the -Lake District belonged to the late Mr Fleming Green, of Grasmere. Anthony -Chapman, who was his huntsman, and later hunted the Windermere Harriers -for many seasons, is still hale and hearty, and delights in a "crack" -about old times. - -Another well-known Master in the north was the late Mr James Lomax, of -Clayton Hall, Great Harwood, Lancashire. - -His "Otter-hunting Diary" contains an account of the sport he enjoyed -from 1829 to 1871, and is most interesting reading. Like Bobby -Troughton in later years, he bred a very perfect pack of hounds of -the rough-coated type. In 1871 rabies unfortunately broke out in his -kennels, necessitating the destruction of all but three of the hounds. -Being himself advanced in years, he made no attempt to start a new pack, -despite the many offers of hounds he received, and one cannot blame -him. By the time he had got together another pack as good as the one he -had lost, he would as he said himself have been too old to follow and -enjoy the sport. Mr Lomax always met very early in the morning, often as -soon as 3 a.m. He showed wonderful sport on Ribble, Lune, and many other -rivers, and old men who can remember hunting with him, speak in glowing -terms of the great hunts they enjoyed with his pack. In one respect -Mr Lomax differed from present-day Masters, i.e., in the practice of -"sacking" otters and removing them to more huntable waters. There are in -the diary, several instances recorded of such otters having died, so that -the practice was not a profitable one. - -The most famous otter-hunter Scotland has ever seen was the late Mr -Waldron Hill, of Murrayfield House, near Edinburgh. - -When quite a young man he contracted consumption, and was told by his -doctors that he had not long to live. Nothing daunted, however, Mr Hill -took to otter-hunting, and the sport agreed with him so well, that he -hunted practically every river in Scotland, and lived to be far advanced -in years. - -When the West Lothian Foxhounds were in existence, Mr Hill used to run -with them, and saw as much sport as most of the mounted brigade. - -In "Field and Fern," _The Druid_ wrote regarding Mr Hill: "Some years ago -he had a pack of otterhounds in Monmouthshire, of the Welsh breed, smooth -and white with yellow ears; for the last five years he has had black and -tans, a cross between the bloodhound and rough Lancashire hound, which is -used in that country for otter and foumart. Their nose is nearly equal -to the Lancashire hound, who are unrivalled in this respect and never -disposed to be tonguey. The bloodhound cross also makes them more savage -in their worry, but they are often very unpleasant to manage in kennel. -Mr Hill has found the foxhound fail in working up to his otter in a cold -drag, but excellent on the line when the game is fairly started. With -him the southern hound has only failed from lack of constitution, which -is injured by too much swimming." - -Mr Hill used terriers of Welsh breed, which he got from the kennels of Mr -Ramsay Williams, after the latter's death. These terriers weighed about -15 lb., and were bred as flat-sided as possible to enable them to squeeze -into narrow places. They were fairly long on the leg, and were used for -bolting fox, otter, marten, and foumart. Mr Hill's principal river was -the Tyne, flowing through Haddingtonshire. Speaking of the South Esk, -_The Druid_ says: "Last August it was the scene of a very remarkable run, -as the otter only touched the water twice for a few minutes throughout a -run of eight or nine miles, and was eventually pulled down in the heart -of one of the East Lothian fox-whins." Regarding a long drag with Mr -Hill's hounds, _The Druid_ says: "In '62 the hounds hit upon one at the -Clutby Dam reservoir on the north side of the Pentlands, and hunted him -through the sheep-drains right over the Pentlands, down to the reservoir -at St Catherine's. He had gone through it on the north side, and from -there down the Glencorn burn, nearly to the North Esk. Leaving this for -another burn across the country, he headed back to the reservoir at St -Catherine's, where, on account of the water being too high, he could not -be moved. This otter must have travelled nearly twenty miles during the -night, and it was well for Mr Hill that his terriers were long-legged; -and that he himself is always in condition summer or winter, or he would -have seen nothing of the fun on that hot and very wet September morning." -We wonder how far the members of a modern otter-hunting field would get, -if asked to follow hounds on a hot drag for twenty miles? Not far we'll -warrant, for most of them would swear that hounds were on a fox. - -People who incautiously "tail" an otter are very apt to get bitten, and -regarding this _The Druid_ says: "In all these forays Mr Hill has never -got heavily bitten himself; but many years ago, when he was hunting on -the Kenvy near Abergavenny, the otter came out of the water just before -it was killed, made straight at the whip, who was a few yards off his -master, shook him savagely by the trousers, and then passed on." - -We have heard people say that an otter makes no splash when diving or -otherwise entering the water. Certainly at times he does not make much -of a disturbance, for his sinuous body is built for swimming, but when -playing in the water, or when hunted, he splashes quite a lot. We were on -one occasion watching the mouth of a drain on the river Lune, in which -the terriers were baiting an otter. In front of this drain was a row of -willow trees. Standing quietly a yard or so to one side of the drain -entrance we at last saw the otter show himself. He stood at the drain -mouth sniffing the air, the muscles working his thick "whiskers," giving -his face a very puffed out appearance. Hearing or seeing some of the -field on the opposite bank of the river he turned round and went back up -the drain. A fairly long interval elapsed, and we were just bending down -to listen at the drain mouth, when, without the slightest warning the -otter shot out, and leapt straight through the willow tree, to land in -the water with a splash like a sack of oats. From where he took off, to -the point where he hit the river, constituted a remarkable jump, and he -must have been coming pretty fast when he shot out of the drain. - -On another occasion at the same drain, which is a favourite resort of -otters, the terriers were at work, and an opening had been made into the -drain at some distance from the river. We were watching the drain mouth, -and after a bit the otter showed himself, but went back. The bank where -we stood was high, and there was a certain amount of rubbish in the -way of dead branches, etc., partially covering the drain mouth. Being -below the bank we could not see what was happening in the field, and we -were greatly astonished when a big otter suddenly rushed over the edge -of the bank, nearly on top of us, scrambled through the branches, and -disappeared up the drain. The terriers had bolted him in the field, and -we, of course, were unaware of what was happening. This otter finally -emerged at the drain mouth, but unlike his predecessor, took the water -quietly below the willow trees. - -In Walton's description of a morning's sport with Mr Sadler's -"Otter-dogs," Sweetlips--one of the hounds--brings the carcass of the -otter to "Venator." We have on several occasions seen a hound seize and -carry a dead-beat otter ashore. This is easily done in the case of a 12 -lb. or 14 lb. otter, but it is a different matter for a hound to handle -a big, fighting dog otter. When a hunted otter is floating on top of the -water, he often makes a considerable splash if he dives in a hurry. - -Although perhaps not so good a climber as some other members of the -weasel family, the otter is no slouch at negotiating steep, rocky ghylls, -and can scramble about in a wonderful manner. It seems rather hard to -account for the fact that in some seasons hounds kill a majority of dog -otters, while in other seasons the total is chiefly made up of bitches. -Where you find a bitch otter, there is often a dog within a mile or -so, either up or down stream; and no doubt the two of them keep that -particular stretch of water free from other lutrine intruders. - -Scent and its vagaries will no doubt always be a mysterious problem. -How often have we seen hounds able to hunt quite well amongst the -undergrowth, yet when they reached an open expanse of sand where the seal -of an otter was plainly visible, they have crossed it without a single -hound speaking. An instance of this comes to mind during the season -of 1921, when hounds ran well across country, whereas on a sand-bank, -literally padded flat with otter tracks, never a hound opened. - -Although hounds may sometimes travel a long way up-stream without -touching a drag, that does not always signify that you will not find. An -instance of this comes to mind when we were hunting a small hill-stream. -Hounds had covered some miles of water without a sign of a drag, and the -field was becoming rather discouraged, when suddenly the pack opened -in no uncertain manner, and began tearing at a holt on the bank. While -hounds were thus occupied, the otter bolted and went downstream, and -after a short hunt was accounted for. Until reaching the spot where -hounds marked, there was little or no lying ground, and seeing that there -was also no up-stream drag it pointed to the fact that our otter had -travelled over a neighbouring watershed, and had entered the holt on his -journey downstream. It is always well to remember that an otter may be -found anywhere, and because there happens to be no drag up-stream that -does not mean to say that you may not find when you reach the head waters. - -Regarding the agility and jumping powers of otters we remember hounds -finding an otter lying rough, which, after a certain amount of dusting -up and down stream, jumped a wall into a road, passed under a motor -car standing there, and went over another wall into the field beyond. -Leaving the field it scaled a third wall before returning to the water. -Eventually it took to some extensive coverts, and after running a ring -through them, it was bowled over by hounds in the open as it was making -its way back to the river. That an otter knows every inch of ground over -which he has once travelled is made quite apparent to those who do much -otter-hunting. - -We have, in a previous chapter, told of an otter which travelled ten -miles overland from one stream to another, going straight to the various -smoots through the walls which barred its passage. In an emergency, too, -an otter makes up his mind pretty quickly. On one occasion the terriers -got to their otter in a drain, and after opening the latter, the otter -backed out. The drain lay parallel to a hedge, and like a flash the otter -darted through this, ran down behind it, and was into another underground -retreat before anyone had time to realise his game. - -As a rule, if two otters are put down together, the one which is not -being hunted will promptly make itself scarce. We remember on one -occasion, however, when hounds were hunting a bitch otter, the dog hung -about in plain sight under a bridge, and remained there until the bitch -was accounted for, after which he himself suffered the same fate. - -Otter-hunting is the least artificial of our British field sports. The -otter is a wild animal, living the same free life that he has done for -generations, and we have yet to learn a good deal concerning him. Being -a great wanderer, he is here to-day and gone to-morrow, and his hunting -provides more "glorious uncertainty" than the chase of any other beast. -Before you can hunt him you must find him, but whereas with deer, fox, -and hare, the finding is often the easiest part of the business, in the -case of the otter it is the most difficult. In a previous chapter we have -made brief mention of otter-hunting dress. In these days blue is the -popular colour for Hunt livery, the material most favoured being woollen -serge. We wonder how modern otter-hunters would like to wear the dress -mentioned by Blaine, i.e., a green dress turned up with red, fur cap with -gold band, and waterproof hip-boots decorated with red or gold tassels. - -It was Somervile in _The Chase_ who coined the phrase "sly goose-footed -prowler," and gave to the world one of the best accounts of an otter-hunt -ever penned. Otter-hunting seems to have been little catered for in the -matter of songs pertaining to the sport. No doubt there are many purely -local ditties concerning the doings of various packs, but few songs -of real worth have made their appearance. In "The Poetry of Sport" by -Hedley Peek, we find one or two, and in the "Otter-hunting Diary" of Mr -James Lomax there are a couple of Lancashire otter-hunting songs. One of -these songs is in dialect, and we take the liberty of quoting a verse or -two for to anyone who understands broad Lancashire they convey a lively -description of the sport. The song is entitled "The Hunt in the Hodder." -In the first verse the narrator goes to the meet: - - "Old Squire Lomax's dags I'd oft heerd um tell, - I bethought me one morning I'd see um mysell, - So I donn'd me, and reet off for Mytton dud trig, - Un I landed me just as they loosed under th' Brig. - - _Chorus_ - - Cobbler wur theer, Carver wur theer, - Random and Rover, oud Pilot and aw." - -After a good drag, hounds mark their otter in his holt, and Crab the -terrier is sent in. - - "Hark! Crab's agate feighting him, hard as he con, - Be sharp un seize howd of a dog, every mon. - We had nobbut just cleeked um, un roven um back, - When th' grey-headed maister croap eawt in a crack." - - _Chorus_ - -Hounds swim their otter for some time until at last he takes refuge in a -holt. - - "We swum him to Winckley, un theer he dud hoyle, - But a pick un a spade soon his harbour dud spoil; - Then he fought into Ribble, ay, reet thro' the pack, - Thro' foar on um once had him dean of his back." - - _Chorus_ - -Hounds eventually account for their otter, and the song finishes with: - - "This otter whoas weight wor just twenty-four peands, - Two hears, forty minits, wor hunted by th' heands; - Heer's luck to all th' pack, when they meeten next year, - May th' Captain, un me, un aw us be theer." - - _Chorus_ - -A rather amusing incident occurred some years ago when we were -whipping-in to the now disbanded Lake District Otterhounds. Whilst -waiting at Lakeside for the boat that runs up Lake Windermere, a -char-a-banc load of trippers arrived, to whom the sight of a pack of -otterhounds was evidently a novelty. Before we knew what was happening, -the crowd of sightseers had formed a ring round hounds, each member -of the party producing a song book. There then rose on the air the -well-known refrain "John Peel." The old huntsman listened whilst they -sang the first verse, then suddenly exclaimed "Give it more weft! give -it more weft!" Isaac evidently thought that their efforts compared badly -with the way in which the old song is sung by fox-hunters in Cumberland -or Westmorland. - -In addition to being the least artificial of our British field sports, -otter-hunting affords unrivalled opportunities for those who love to -watch the work of hounds. It is more popular now than it ever was, yet -there is still ample room for many more packs before our rivers and -lakes are thoroughly hunted as they should be. The more otters you kill -the more you will have, for riparian owners and tenants are for the most -part quite willing to afford protection to _Lutra_, when they know that -a keen huntsman and a killing pack of hounds are hunting their waters -regularly throughout the season. - -In conclusion we will finish with the old south-country toast "Death to -dog otters! Long life to the little bitches!" - - [Illustration] - - FINIS - - - - -INDEX - - - Abnormal colour, 32 - Activity of otter, 55, 137 - Adult otter, eyes of, 46 - African otter, 23 - Age of otters, 32 - Air, in holts, 50 - "Argyll, a Fauna of," 32 - - Back teeth of otter, 22 - Bethel, William, 43 - Bitch otter, breeding of, 31 - Biss hunters, 115 - Black-and-tan Welsh hounds, 122 - Bloodhound, 112 - Blaine, 150 - Bobby Troughton, 138 - British otter, 22 - "British Rural Sports, Manual of," 76 - - Coke, 37, 38 - Colour of otter, 26 - Charles St John, 56 - Claw-marks of otter, 40 - Clothing for otter-hunting, 109 - Claws, otter, 71 - _Chase, The_, 151 - Colour of terriers, 127 - Chesapeake Bay dog, 113 - Cross-bred hounds, 115 - Cubs, 31, 32, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 60 - - Dabchicks, 62 - Dalnaspidal, 63 - Digging by otter, 70 - Dixon, H. H., 77 - Digging, 98 - Drains, 106, 107 - _Druid, The_, 141, 142, 143 - Dress, otter-hunting, 150 - Drag, 78, 79, 80 - Ducklings, 64 - - Eels, 60 - Early meets, 77-80 - Essex O.H., 31 - Equipment, otter-hunting, 110 - Evicting otter, 96 - Exercising hounds, 129 - Excrement, 37 - - Feet, otter's, 25 - "Field and Fern," 77 - Finding otters, 87, 88 - Food for hounds, 129 - Footprints, 38-40 - Fur, otter's, 25, 26 - - Gaits of otter, 41 - - Harrier, Lancashire, 113 - Hazel pole, 110 - Head, otter's, 24, 26 - Hebrides, otters in, 55 - Hide, otter's, 33 - Highlands, otters in, 55 - Highway, hounds on, 108 - Hill, Mr Waldron, 140 - Holts, 49, 50 - Hound, lime, 75 - Horn, 110 - - Indian otter, 23 - Interdigital webs, 28 - - James Lomax, 77, 123 - John, King, 73 - Jones, Major Evan, 132, 133 - John, Charles St, 56 - Jura, 32 - - King John, 73 - Kenets, 113 - Kennels, 130 - - Lash, whip, 110 - Liam, 75 - Lime hound, 75 - Lomax, James, 77, 123 - - "Master of Game," 73, 75, 113, 114 - Marten, 65, 66 - Meeting early, 77-80 - Milbourne, 36 - - Notes on the horn, 111 - - Otter, natural history of, 21-41 - ----, head of, 24, 26 - ----, hide of, 33 - ----, Indian, 23 - ----, digging, 70 - ----, excrement of, 37 - ----, feet of, 25 - ----, fur of, 25, 26 - ----, footprints of, 38-40 - ----, African, 23 - ----, age of, 32 - ----, activity of, 55, 137 - ----, British, 22 - ----, back teeth of, 29 - ----, colour of, 26 - ----, cubs, 31, 32, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 60 - ----, coke, 37, 38 - ----, claw-marks of, 40 - ----, claws, 71 - ----, holts, 49, 50 - ----, abnormal colour of, 32 - ----, weights and measurements of, 30, 31 - - Peek, Hedley, 151 - Pine-marten, 65, 66 - "Poetry of Sport," 151 - - Record weights, 30 - Rose, Mr, 31 - - Salmon and otter, 57, 58 - Seal, 38 - Scent, 104, 105 - Signal, on whistle, 100 - Size of otters, 30, 31 - Songs, otter-hunting, 151 - Spears, otter, 74 - Spraints, 37 - Spur, 38 - - Tail, otter's, 25 - Tame cubs, 47 - Tallying, 99, 100 - Teeth, otter's, 29 - Track, otter's, 38 - Troughton, Bobby, 138 - Terriers, 125-128 - - Uniforms, hunt, 109 - - Weights of otters, 30, 31 - Welsh hounds, 122 - - Ynsfor O.H., 132 - - Zoological Gardens, 47, 54, 72 - - - PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT - THE NORTHUMBERLAND PRESS LIMITED, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber Note - - -Illustrations moved so as to not split paragraphs. 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