TRACKING DEER BY SLOT. m 



acres of Keel Deer Land. Iu sand the slot is 

 sometimes almost perfect — the sand gives a 

 perfect mould of the stag's hoof, into which 

 if plaster were poured a good copy would 

 be obtained. But if the sand has not the 

 right degree of moisture it spreads, and the 

 marks look larger than they should. In 

 moist, clay-like earth the slot, too, is good, 

 and just at the edge of water. 



Weather interferes with slot, especially 

 heavy rain, which washes it out ; nor is con- 

 tinued drought and heat advantageous, as 

 the earth becomes so firm it will not yield. 

 A slight shower is best ; in fact, the har- 

 bourer likes the ground prepared for him, 

 much the same as those who cast prepare 

 their earth for moulding. In judging whether 

 the marks are recent or not, the state of 

 the weather must especially be borne in 

 mind. The right meaning of these minutiae 

 is not of course to be learned without long 

 and constant practice ; a guinea is paid for 

 each stag ' harboured ' successfully. The 



