File:Nature and sport in Britain (1904) (14751600385).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

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d, and keepers, as well asowners and lessees, of valuable fishings are not likelyto tolerate the presence of over many of these bold andmost cunning marauders. Where coarse fish only areto be found, and no trouble is taken over their preserva-tion, otters can and do live unmolested for generations.Within the last year or two certain streams in some ofthe quietest parts of the midlands, where few fishermentroubled the banks, and only shepherds and farmerscrossed the fields, have been visited by otter-hounds.Otters were in this locality absolutely undreamed of bythe country people. Generations of farmers had livedand died there without a suspicion of the presence ofotters, which all the time were flourishing almost attheir doors. The lads caught perch and pike and roachand dace and gudgeon in the stream close by, and grewup, and abandoned the sport for graver cares, withoutever setting eyes upon the four-footed fishers, whichnightly visited the best pools and killed the finest fish. 252
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OTTER-HUNTING Yet the advent of otter-hounds and of hunters used to thechase of these creatures proved incontestably that inthese very waters otters had long existed. And first-ratehunting has been enjoyed in many of these quiet mid-land streams, where until quite lately any countrymanwould have scoffed at the idea of such an outlandishbeast being found at all. It is, in truth, indubitablethat there are far more otters in this country than mostpeople imagine. Even upon the crowded highway ofthe Thames otters can and do exist. In the year 1880I well remember, while bathing at early morning, see-ing one of these animals swim quietly across the mouthof the Ember stream, just at its junction with theThames near Hampton Court. In some respects otter-hunting has changed duringmore recent times. When Landseer painted that finepicture, The Death of the Otter, many years ago, itwas still the custom to use the spear. In this picturethe otter writhes upon the tall spear held aloft by thered-coat

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