CONCEALMENT. 71 



with sticks, on which, in turn, a covering of sods 

 is laid, making all quite secure and leaving only 

 an aperture for the lens, a few peepholes, and a 

 small hole in the back to creep through. 



It saves much work if the floor of such a hide is 

 sunk a foot or eighteen inches below the ground- 

 level, and the excavated earth piled round the 

 edge of the hole, where it goes some way towards 

 forming the wall. The total inside height need 

 not exceed three to three-and-a-half feet, and if 

 the floor is excavated a foot or eighteen inches, the 

 height above ground is nearly halved and the thing 

 thereby rendered much less conspicuous. Having 

 suggested the sinking of the floor, it will only be 

 kind to mention the sequel should the site be 

 damp or the weather rainy. Then the excavation 

 becomes a receptacle for surface-drainage, and 

 some morning it will be found ankle-deep in water. 

 Now, though this may be no serious inconvenience 

 in warm weather, yet when a chill wind is blowing 

 in through the crevices this impromptu foot-bath 

 is far from pleasant, more especially if the small- 

 ness of the interior necessitates more than the feet 

 participating in the bath. 



The Hiding Tent. 



Although such screens constructed of materials to 

 suit the site are often very useful, yet it would be 



