PewStorea 1948 Sea Otter 1. July 30 Notley's, 1 1/2 mi. N. Mouth Puxby Creek, Monterey Co., California Saw 6 at 11:30 am. Stopped in late pm. (4:50-5:35) about a smallish 5:30 watched a young otter (at least one count light on the head feeding. Attention directed to it by hearing a sort of noise like a cornucant taking off or a mouse scittering. This proved to be caused by the otter's slapping a food article (couldn't tell what kind) with both hands against its chest. At least once, I could see clearly an object about 6" in dia. x 2" deep on the otter's chest- probably a stone. Most of the time this was not visible but could be seen just after the wacking operation. Dove several times once for about 1 1/2 minutes. At first stayed in deep water, then moved toward the shore & dove near a reef which was exposed between waves. Came up a food and a grey rock larger than the first. This was too much for it to manage as the eddies were strong here. Otter evidently lost the rock & dove again and came up with a small food article and a still larger rock which was so heavy that most of the time it weighed down the otter so rock was seldom visible.