54 CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



The limits of the latitudes in which the sun appears overhead are 231^" N. and 

 23^° S. Within these regions (the tropics) the sun is sometimes north, sometimes 

 south, and twice in the year passes vertically overhead. Outside the tropics the 

 sun is always south in the northern hemisphere and north in the southern. 



Thus, in England the sun always travels across the south of the heavens. 



An approximate table of the declination of the sun is given here to the nearest 

 degree. For more accurate information the Nautical Almanac can be referred to, 

 but these figures are quite sufficient for the purpose of the hunter. 



They show what latitude the sun will be vertically above at noon on the given 

 date. 



Rough Table of Declination of Sun. 



January ist ... 

 February ist 

 March ist 

 April ist 

 l\Iay ist 

 June ist 



Example. — Take our latitude to be 16° S. In January the sun will be to the south 

 of us. At the beginning of February the sun will pass vertically over our latitude, and 

 then further and further to the north until about the end of June, when it will return 

 slowly, passing again overhead the beginning of November, and then to the 

 south again. 



Now to get our compass bearings from the sun. 



If it is north of you your shadow will point due south at noon, or the shadow of a 

 stick or anything set upright. 



If the sun is south of you your shadow at noon will in like manner point due 

 north. If the sun is vertically over your latitude there will be no shadow at noon. 



Now for the diurnal movement of the sun. 



The sun rises east and sets west the whole world over at the equinoxes. 



These are when the sun is vertically over the equator, that is to say, when 

 the declination is 0°, and are about March 21st and September 23rd. 



At other times of the year the sun rises north or south of true east, and 

 sets north or south of true west. 



The amount it rises and sets north and south of these points varies, both for 

 declination and for latitude. At the equator it exactly corresponds in degrees 

 to the amount of the declination. Thus on January ist the sun would rise and 

 set 23° S. of east and west if the observer is on the equator. 



