30 THE MASTER OF GAME 



by the fumes and so they do by the foot. When 

 they crotey their fumes flat and not thick, it is in 

 April or in May, into the middle of June, when they 

 have fed on tender corn, for yet their fumes be 

 not formed, and also they have not recovered their 

 grease. But yet have men seen sometimes a great 

 deer and an old and high in grease, which about 

 mid-season crotey their fumes black and dry. And 

 therefore by this and many other things many 

 men may be beguiled by deer, for some goeth 

 better and are better running and fly better than 

 some, as other beasts do, and some be more cun- 

 ning and more wily than others, as it is with men, 

 for some be wiser than others. And it cometh to 

 them of the good kind of their father and mother, 

 and of good getting (breeding) and of good nur- 

 ture and from being born in good constellations, 

 and in good signs of heaven, and that (is the 

 case) with men and all other beasts. Men take 

 them with hounds, with greyhounds and with 

 nets and with cords, and with other harness,^ 

 with pits and with shot '-^ and with other gins 

 (traps) and with strength, as I shall say here- 

 after. But ill England they are not slain except 

 with hounds or with shot or with strength of 

 running hounds. 



An old deer is wonder wise and felle (cunning) 



* Harness, appurtenances. Sec Appendix : Harness. 

 2 Means from a cross-bow or lon<;-bo\v. 



