150 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



an animal, and the vista of undergrowth through which bush animals are seen, 

 increase the idea of distance. 



Sportsmen unused to estimating distances in this kind of country would be well 

 advised to put up the one hundred yards sight and decide always to use this, however 

 far off the animal appeared, for unless it was in a long, open glade, no animal will 

 practically ever be seen beyond this range. 



The best time for seeing animals is in the morning or the evening, as they are 

 then grazing, whilst during the middle of the day they are generally lying down. 

 At this latter time it will be almost impossible to detect them, for they are 

 usually lying in deep shade, generally with imperfect cover on all sides, through 

 which they can watch your approach, whereas you cannot see them. 



When the hunter is a moving object and the game is stationary it is 

 needless to say that the advantage lies very much on the side of the latter, for, 

 besides the advantage of having a moving object to locate they also have the 

 advantage of being themselves silent, whilst, however carefully the hunter moves, 

 he must occasionally make some noise. The preservation of silence is one of 

 the most important points in the bush, and so it would be well for the hunter to 

 wear thick rubber-soled boots, and, in addition, to take every reasonable precaution 

 in treading, and he must likewise avoid rustling branches and leaves. Rubber- 

 soled boots are used by Mr. F. C. Selous in his enterprises, and were also worn 

 by the late Mr. A. H. Neumann. 



They are excellent for rocky country and dry ground, but in muddy and 

 slippery places they are of little use, and so should be discarded during the 

 rains for leather-soled boots with nails or bars. 



When animals are grazing they are easier to locate than when stationary, 

 but are still often very difficult to sight, for they are but slow-moving objects. 



The bush animal when grazing, or any other animal for that matter, as a 

 rule, goes forward only a few steps at a time, and looks up and all round at frequent 

 intervals. 



Moreover, it keeps in shade as much as possible, and because of its low 

 stature is able to pass easily under the branches of most bushes, and therefore 

 in the shade. The hunter, on the other hand, unless he crawls under these, 

 must needs go round the branches, thus being in the light. 



The lower level of the game animal gives it a further advantage, and that 

 is, that it can look round and between the stems of the bushes and see the 

 lower part of the hunter's body, whilst he, from his superior height, has his 

 line of sight intercepted by the leaves and branches. The great secret of sighting 



