Otters and otter-hunting . view of a small crowdof villagers, who very handsomely refrained frominterfering with her in any way. Needless to sayshe was not hunted, and doubtless happily relievedand completed the rearing of her offspring : for ofthe essence of sport is the South-country toast,Death to dog Otters! Long life to the littlebitches! All this has taken us far enough from the causesof blank days which I was enumerating. I shouldnot have expatiated on the subject were it not thatthe Master of Otter-hounds who is not also a studentof the natural history of his quarry is but half asports
Otters and otter-hunting . view of a small crowdof villagers, who very handsomely refrained frominterfering with her in any way. Needless to sayshe was not hunted, and doubtless happily relievedand completed the rearing of her offspring : for ofthe essence of sport is the South-country toast,Death to dog Otters! Long life to the littlebitches! All this has taken us far enough from the causesof blank days which I was enumerating. I shouldnot have expatiated on the subject were it not thatthe Master of Otter-hounds who is not also a studentof the natural history of his quarry is but half asportsman; and only upon a right appreciation ofthe motives by which an Otter may be actuated underdiffering sets of circumstances can a real knowledgeof its natural habits be built. Another obstacle to showing sport is encounteredwhen the hunted Otter takes refuge in some suchimpregnable spot as that suggested above : the ownerof which is perfectly within his rights in decliningto have it tampered with. The only thing to do in. The Science of Hunting the Otter. i6i such cases is to take hounds on, even if one ispretty sure there is little chance of finding anotherOtter. Proprietors vary in this respect, as they mayset a higher value on the pleasures of sport and theconvenience of others than upon an inconvenience orexpense that they may have to bear; and I remembera case in which a proprietor on one bank refused topermit his weiring to be touched, even to allow aterrier to go in, while his neighbour on the oppositebank said to the Master, Youre welcome to pullthe whole castle down if it will do you any good. The prejudices of such objectors—as of those whoclose their water to hounds—must be instantly re-spected, and even the most unsporting are morelikely to assume a friendlier attitude in the futureif they see that the Master willingly and cheerfullyregards their clearly-expressed injunctions withoutgrumbling or argument. The only unforgivable person is he whofollows hounds ove
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