IMPORTANCE OF BACKGROUNDS. 129 



be seen through: the most efficient screen in front 

 therefore is a rock, or bank of earth, or else low 

 dense tufts of thick grass or ferns something in fact 

 that is not transparent; in any case, if the hunter's 

 dress harmonizes well with the background and its 

 immediate surroundings (a thing he should always 

 strive to effect) he will probably not be recognised as 

 a man, provided he stands perfectly motionless. This 

 he should always do, as far as possible, once he has 

 completed these preliminary preparations, remembering 

 how instantly game catch sight of anything in motion. 



If there are several directions by which game may 

 as likely as not come up (as is generally the case) 

 the sportsman should take care to face towards the 

 right of the position, because if game happens to 

 approach from the left, he only requires to turn a 

 small portion of the body, as on a pivot, to command 

 the left approaches whereas if he is facing left and 

 game appears on the right, he will be obliged to turn 

 the whole body, to bring his rifle to bear in that 

 direction. 



There is a great art in watching ground, to keep 

 in constant view all the avenues by which an animal 

 is likely to creep up ; the movements of all kinds of liv- 

 ing creatures should also be closely observed: a 

 frightened bird suddenly rising out of a thicket, a 

 hare or other small animal stealing away, as if to 

 escape some hidden enemy : those and all other move- 

 ments of a similar kind among the forest creatures, 

 may as likely as not prove the forerunner of nobler 

 game. There must be some cause for these move- 

 ments among the minor inhabitants of the wood. In 

 India for instance, the startled cries of peacocks or 



VOL. III. 9 



