128 TAKING UP A STAND. 



frequently comes home empty-handed. One common 

 solution of the enigma is explained as above; indeed 

 when the cover is exceedingly thick, and the weather 

 still, it is often useless to go crashing through it, 

 because the hunter's approach is then almost certainly 

 betrayed by the noise, long before he can get within 

 sight of game; the ambush policy in such case 

 therefore becomes the only feasible one there he 

 can watch and listen, without being himself seen 

 or heard. 



Upon taking up his stand to watch for the coming 

 up of game (whether with or without beaters to drive 

 the cover towards him upon the East Indian plan) the very 

 first thing to be done is to scrape a spot sufficiently 

 large for his feet entirely clear of fallen leaves, dead 

 twigs etc., otherwise the movements of his feet are 

 apt to be heard by any game which may be coming 

 towards him. Wild and wary animals almost invari- 

 ably advance slowly, with stealthy, noiseless motions; 

 stopping frequently to listen ; so that the slightest 

 noise of rustling among leaves, etc., will be almost 

 certain to cause them to turn away, and go off in 

 another direction. Another important point to be 

 attended to, is to see that there is some tree or other 

 object behind him, which will prevent the sportsman's 

 figure being visible in outline against a vacant back- 

 ground, in which case he would probably be at once 

 observed by a sharp-eyed beast, before the hunter could 

 catch sight of it, and again in such case the game 

 would slink away unheard and unseer. To secure a 

 good background is therefore in many respects even 

 more important than to have a screen of bushes, or 

 other such objects, in front, as the latter can generally 



