TRACKING DEER BY SLOT. 131 



of the hand across the knuckles represents 

 the heel of the slot and the fingers the 

 points. Whether the fingers are kept close 

 together or spread apart as widely as pos- 

 sible the back of the hand or heel measures 

 the same across. Corresponding to the age 

 and size of the stag is the breadth of his 

 heel, and it is to that part of the slot that 

 the harbourer looks to assure himself that 

 it is a runnable deer. 



The pace at which the stag was travelling 

 is further shown by the depth of the im- 

 pression. In walking his hoofs sink in but 

 slightly ; in galloping they strike the earth 

 with great force and often enter deeply, 

 slipping forward, too, aslant underneath the 

 surface. Lastly, the time at which he 

 passed a given spot is known by the fresh- 

 ness of the slot, and the harbourer can tell 

 if he went by recently some hours, a day, 

 or two days since. If recently, the slot is 



