File:Nature and sport in Britain (1904) (14565157737).jpg

Identifier: naturesportinbri00bryd (find matches)
Title: Nature and sport in Britain
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Bryden, H. A. (Henry Anderson), 1854-1937
Subjects: Horses Game and game-birds Hunting
Publisher: London : G. Richards
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
nd plenty of exercise. And perhaps notthe least of its recommendations lies in the fact that,from its very nature, otter-hunting can never be sur-rounded with the artificiality and luxuries by which, intime, certain of our open-air sports seem likely to beemasculated, if not completely strangled. At the present day a pack of otter-hounds usuallynumbers from ten to fourteen or fifteen couples, butsome few of the bigger establishments are larger. TheHawkstone, for instance, a famous pack hunting inWales and Shropshire, are as many as twenty-fivecouples strong, while the Kings, hunting in KingsCounty, Ireland, muster the same number. Withfifteen couple of hounds plenty of sport can be shown,provided otters are to be found. Otter-hunting has acomplete language of its own. Thus the footprintsare known to the initiated as the spur or seal,the latter term being the more commonly used. Thespraint, or wedging, is the excreta of the otter,by which the animal is occasionally identified. The 2§4
Text Appearing After Image:
OTTER-HUNTING chain is the line of air bubbles, or bells, sent upby this animal as it swims under water — the crybubble avent is sometimes used by country-folk, orhunters, when this sign of the beasts passage is noted.The otter is put down when he is driven from hisholt, or hiding-place. The animal is gazed, notviewed. Heu gaze! is the cry used when thebeast is sighted. The otters lair or resting-place isknown variously as holt, lodge, kennel,couch, and hover. The staff consists of a huntsman, usually an en-thusiastic amateur, and two whips, and much assist-ance is often rendered by those followers who understandthe sport, and who, armed with long poles, are notafraid to rush middle deep, if necessary, into the streamand turn the hunted beast from some holt or othersecure place of vantage towards which it is making.Two or three terriers, preferably rough-coated, areusually taken out, for the purpose of pushing the beastfrom its holt; without these useful allies it would oftenbe a di

Note About Images