90 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



that beyond all doubt by a male deer. But was 

 it a 'warrantable' stag that did the mischief? 

 Again he consults the ground carefully, anxiously 

 trying to get the print of the hoof well defined ; 

 one glance at the ' slot ' would satisfy him in a 

 moment, but the ground is so dry, that it is im- 

 possible to come to a conclusion on the point. 

 However, one point is established. There is a 

 stag — a male deer at least — in the neighbourhood, 

 and no doubt that deer has ' harboured ' with one 

 or more hinds in the covert below. Can he find 

 the 'rack,' or place where the deer broke the fence 

 into the wood, and where probably the slot will be 

 visible ? This is now his object. Suddenly he 

 stops, and down on his bended knees he goes, 

 as if he were seized by an uncontrollable impulse 

 to worship the rising sun. He has found what 

 he wanted — in a soft piece of ground — the rounded 

 track, the blunted toe point, the wide spread mark — 

 the fresh 'slot,' in short, of a stag ; ay, and a good 

 one too, and one that will make many a proud steed 

 sob this day, ere he turns to bay. The measure- 

 ments* are taken, the piece of ground on which the 



* The slot of a 'runable' or 'warrantable' stag should measure 

 nearly two inches at the heel. The older the stag the wider the heel. 

 The space between the toes is another test of the age and size of a 



