48 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



sticks in a distant bush; a pair of delicate ear-tips just 

 visible above weeds, brush, or long grass; a glisten- 

 ing point or two where the sun strikes upon a polished 

 horn; a shiny spot far away where the light just 

 touches a bit of glossy hair. It takes the highest com- 

 bination of natural keenness and culture of vision to 

 detect one until just a second or two too late for a 

 shot. J shall never forget the surprise of a certain 

 youth who even in boyhood was distinguished among 

 far older hunters for his acuteness in seeing squirrels 

 hidden in trees, hares in their forms, woodcock on 

 the autumn leaves ahead of the dog, etc. etc., when 

 he first began to turn that eye on deer, and see them 

 run out of a thicket through which he could see 

 clearly; and going to it, find the deer had been stand- 

 ing up in it all the time he was looking through it. 



Very often it is impossible for any one to see them; 

 as where they are in thick brush, old pine-slashings, 

 heavy windfalls, especially when lying down. So 

 when they lie in the long slough-grass of the prairie, 

 and in hot weather when they lie in the shade. Of 

 course they will sometimes be in such a position that 

 any one can see them at once. But this is the rare 

 exception and must not be depended on. A good 

 glass is a great help in a large open country; but you 

 must not allow yourself to depend on it, and should 

 use it only when you have to. In timber it will gen- 

 erally be of little use, though if you must carry a lot 

 of things it will do no harm and may be useful. For 

 antelope-hunting it is often almost indispensable. 

 Every spot of white or brown or gray, every hazy line, 

 every point or glimmer like mirage for miles around 

 should be carefully scanned with it. But for deer it 

 had better be generally reserved to resolve doubtful 



