H4 RED DEER. 



go up a hedge a hundred yards, eating 

 every fresh spray of ash along it. Next he 

 goes to the gaps, or any place of entry into 

 the covers and looks for slot. He walks 

 round the cover, examining every path and 

 any moist spot he can find. If there is no 

 runnable deer in one cover he goes on to 

 the next, till he discovers indications that a 

 full-grown stag is there. He then considers 

 the condition of the slot, and if the ground 

 is dry - douts ' it by drawing his foot over- 

 that is, he obliterates it, The object is, that 

 next time he comes the slot may be new, 

 well-defined, and perfectly fresh, so as to 

 prevent the possibility of mistake as to the 

 freshness of the trail. This part of the 

 work he finishes by six in the evening, and 

 then quits the fields for his home or inn. 



He has now got a general knowledge that 

 a stag; is there ; but he has still to convince him- 

 self by a second observation that the stag will 

 be in his harbour next day when the hounds 

 are brought ; for during the intervening 



