TRACKS AND TRACKING 



mice. The former often bounds along, leaving 

 tracks in fours like a miniature rabbit, while 

 the meadow mouse leaves his tracks in a line 

 or in pairs, and near together. The marks are 

 often very clear, showing all the toes and foot 

 pads. Noticing a multitude of tracks of the 

 white-footed mouse near an old log in the 

 dunes, I lifted it, and there curled up in a soft 

 nest were a pair of these delicate large-eyed 

 mice. 



Occasionally one comes across tracks of a 

 larger size made by rats. Where the beasts 

 come from I do not know, but it is evident 

 that they exist in these sands, for they once 

 made an entrance into my dune camp and left 

 traces of their destructive work, which might 

 have been serious had it not been discovered 

 early. 



By far the commonest of all-the-year-round 

 bird tracks in the dunes are those of the crow. 

 One can observe the force with which the 

 birds alight, the fact that after alighting they 

 sometimes bound forward once with both feet 

 together, and that they are very apt to drag 

 their middle toe or even all their toes when 

 they are particularly tired or lazy. Neverthe- 

 less they walk with long strides, and on rare 



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