The sportive battles of the wat'ry breed,
And swiftly swimming makes the Warriors bleed.
Then heaps in secret Caverns on the shore,
The Fish half eaten and besmear'd with gore.
Snares for this Beast, and gins, let others lay,
Or into Traps by tempting Baits betray;
But you with missive Weapons in your hand,
Conceal'd from view behind a Thicket stand;
The Felon slay, and throw into the flood,
His wounded body for your Fishes food:
But first tear off the Skin (for fear your Fry
Should from the dead, as from the living fly,)
Which some rich Matron will rejoice to buy.
If you should find the young Ones, steal away,
In th' absence of the Dam, the tender prey,
They from their Age yet pliant, may be made
Your prompt Assistants in the Fishing Trade;
For when suspended in the Stream you place
Your flaxen Snares, to catch the finny Race,
The Otter will explore each close Retreat,
Will rouse the Fish, and hunt them to the Net*:

}

"It is a very crafty and subtill Beast, yet it is sometimes tamed, and vsed in the Northern parts of the World, especially in Scandinauia to driue the Fishes into the Fishermen's Nets: for so great is the sagacity and scence of Smeling in this Beast, that he can directly winde the Fishes in the waters a Mile or two off, and therefore the Fishers make great aduantage of them, yet do they forbeare his Use because he deuoureth more than needeth, for he is neuer so trained that he forgeteth his old Rauening; being tamed, on the Land he is very full of sport and game.-The Flesh of this Beast is both cold and filthy, because it feedeth vpon stinking* Fish, and

• This is a Mistake, for the Otter, unless pressed by Extreme Hunger will Eat no Fish unless it be perfectly fresh, and what he takes himself.

As Dogs drive trembling Stags into the snare,
Or by the Scent pursue the fleeting Hare*.

therefore not fit to be eaten. Tragus writeth that this notwithstanding is dressed to bee eaten in many Places of Germany. And I hear that the Carthusian Fryers, or Monks (whether you wil,) which are forbidden to touch al manner of Flesh, of other foure-footed Beasts, yet are they not prohibited the eating of Otters."

EDWARD TOPSELL'S Historie of foore-footed beasts. 1607.

The Otter is a cunning and at the same time an exceedingly ferocious Animal. Whenever it is attacked it will defend itself with Courage and Vigour to the last. An Otter passed near a Gentleman who was Angling for Trout in the River Wandle, he struck it with all his force with the Buttend of the fishing Rod upon the Head; the Otter in a moment turned upon him and fought with the greatest Fierceness, nor was it at length killed without considerable Danger.

In April 1809, at Hoxford-bridge, near Morpeth, a poor Woman was put in terrible Consternation by the appearance of an Otter deliberately walking across the floor. Never having seen one before, she gave repeated Screams, which brought a female Neighbour to her assistance. When this Amazon saw the Object of her terror, she seized a Spade and dispatched it; she then looked under the bed, and discovered another of the same Species, which she also killed. The two Skins are now in the possession of a Butcher in North Shields, who purchased them of the Woman. It is supposed they entered the House the preceding Evening, as the door had been then left open for some time.

Dr. JOHNSON mentions one killed in the Isle of SKY by Mr. M'LEAN, Heir of CoL (a Man of middle Stature), of which the Tail reached the Ground, when he held up the Head to a level with his own. White Otters, the Doctor adds, are sometimes seen.

In these Amusements while I pass the Day, Autumnal Hours roll unperceiv'd away;

An Otter in the Possession of a Gentleman Farmer near Cupar Angus, in Forfarshire, was quite domesticated, it was as tame as a Dog, and every Night slept with one of the Farmer's Sons. He still retained his natural Love of Fish, and in the Day time, regularly frequented a Loch in the Neighbourhood, for the purpose of procuring this Food, but would always come out of the Water, when called by any Person of the Family, and which was very often ascertained in order to satisfy the Curiosity of Strangers who were desirous of seeing this animal.

In 1807, a young Man, at LOCHSIDE, in the Parish of BLAIR GOWRIE, having shot at and wounded a young Otter, carried it home, where it speedily recovered, and is now as tame as a Lap-dog. It follows his Master where he desires, obeys his Command, accompanying him to the Locks and Rivers in the Vicinity, where it dives for Fish, brings them to land to his Keeper, and returns in search of more.

Otters differ from the Seals, with respect to their amphibious Nature, in the Foramen Ovale of the Heart: this is closed at the Birth, and no Vestige of it is afterwards to be observed. The Lungs of the Otter are larger and more deep than that of most other Quadrupeds. From this Conformation he is enabled to remain so long under Water. Mr. STACKHOUSE, who has minutely attended to the manners of the Otter, is of Opinion, that one in perfect Health might continue submersed twenty Minutes, without Injury.

In WALES, Otters have the Name of Dyfrgi: in France, Lentre: in Italy, Lodra, Ludria, Lentra: in Spain, Nutria: in Germany, Otter, fisch Otter: in Holland, Otter: in Hungary, Njescht: in Sweden, Utter, Witer: in Denmark, Odder: in Poland, Wydra: in Savoy, Leur: in Norway, Otter, Slauter; in Lapland, Zhieores: in Russia, Wydra,

When tir'd of Town and Study, I retreat,
My honour'd Friend*, to thy fair country Seat;
Where you with all the rural Sports invite,
But most with Mirth and attic Wit delight;
When pleasure to the Plains returns with you,
Together oft we take delight to view

Th' obsequious Otter plunge into the Stew.
There see him dive for Food, and joyful draw
The gasping Captives, from his murderous Jaw+.

Duke de RESSEGEUER.

+ Could an Animal be thus tutored for use on the Sea coast, in addition to the Amusement, it would save many Qualms to the Summer Excursionist.

"Whyle gale of wynde the slacke sayles filles full strayte, He leaning ouer hollow rocke doth lye,

And either his begiled hookes doth bayte,
Or els beholdes and feeles the pray from hye;
The trembling Fish he feeles with line extent,
And paised hand."

HERCULES Furens, 1581.

This is a Pigmy's mimic of the

66

day (a day as fair as heart could wish)
When Giant stood on shore of Sea to fish ;
For angling Rod, he took a sturdy Oake,
For line a Cable, that in Storm ne're broke;
His Hook was such as heads the end of Pole,
To pluck down House, ere fire consumes it whole;

His hook was baited with a Dragon's tail,

And then on rock he stood, to bob for Whale;
Which strait he caught, and nimbly home did pack

With ten Cart load of Dinner on his Back."

The last lines, with trifling Alteration are inserted in the

Among the sportive Tenants of the Lake,
Wide havoc water Rats and Beavers make:
These Foes with subtlety alone pursue:
If from the Shore you at a distance view
A Beaver plunge into the Stream, in vain
You'll hope by Darts a Conquest to obtain;
The conscious Robber 'neath the Surface dives,
And on the scaly Tribes securely thrives.

Poetical Works of Dr. KING, born 1663, but certainly not the Production of that facetious Writer. They are copied from the mock Romance printed with "The Loves of HERO and LEANDER, and other choice pieces of Drollery, &c." 1653. From a Ballad in the same Collection, which appears to have been made on the setting fire to LONDON-BRIDGE, the following humorous Stanzas are selected.

Into the Chips there fell a spark
Which put out in such Flames,
That it was known into Southwark,
Which lives beyond the Thames.

For loe the Bridge was wondrous high,
With water underneath

O're which as many Fishes fly,

As Birds therein doth breath.

And yet the Fire consum'd the Bridg,
Not far from place of landing;
And though the Building was full big,
It fell down not with standing.

And eke into the Water fell,

So many pewter Dishes;

That a Man might have taken up very well

Both boyld and roasted Fishes."