WHAT IS LEARNT FROM SPOOR. 143 



four front pads having a tendency to curve inwards, whilst the back pad is 

 rounder in form. Without any knowledge of the shape of the pads, it should be 

 easy to classify at a glance these two types. First look at the arrangement of 

 the pads, and if there is one large back pad, with four smaller pads in front, and 

 no other visible padmarks, the spoor must then belong to one of these two 

 classes. Secondly, if there are blunt clawmarks it belongs to the dog class, 

 but if there are no clawmarks it belongs to the cat class. 



There are many animals, chiefly among the smaller mammals, which show 

 clawmarks in their spoors, but with them the arrangement of the pads is different. 



Having determined that the spoor is of the dog class, the next step is to 

 decide to which member of this type it belongs. As one might expect, from 

 the varied membership of this selection, the spoors differ more from each other 

 than do those of the cat tribe. For there is a much greater difference 

 between a hyaena, a hunting-dog, and a jackal than there is between a lion, a 

 leopard, and a serval. The hy?ena's spoor is about the largest of his class, and 

 so can be recognised from this fact alone, unless, indeed, there happens to be 

 a boarhound in the locality, the spoor of which is wonderfully like that of the 

 hya:;na. The jackal's spoor is much smaller than that of the hyaena, and is 

 narrower in proportion. The spoor of the hunting-dog is more in shape like that 

 of the jackal than of the hyaena, and it is midway between the two in size. 



The spoor of the civet cat is about the same size and shape as that of the 

 village dog. 



The next spoor plate depicts that of the greater kudu. The spoor of the 

 lesser kudu is an exact facsimile in a smaller mould. The bushbuck's differs 

 very little from this type, though it is smaller than that of the lesser kudu. 



The situtunga, although of the same family, yet differs considerably in its 

 spoor, for this animal has a hoof specially adapted to its mode of life. Its spoor 

 is long, thin, and graceful. 



The next plate shows the cattle class of spoor. The largest of this class is that 

 of a buffalo, and it is exactly like that of some breeds of cattle, but much larger than 

 tlu; ordinary native cattle, (jiraffe's spoor is like a very big and enormously elongated 

 specimen of tiiis class. Eland's is slightly smaller, though near enough in size to be 

 sometimes confused with buffalo, though the eland walks more on the forward 

 part of the hoof than does the buffalo, and does not cut such a clean or such a heavv 

 spoor. From this it is possible to tell the two apart. Where there are females and 

 young the spoor is easily told, for the female and young of buffalo cut a clear-cut 

 cattle track, whilst the female and young of eland have a much more pointed spoor. 



