60 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



that there is no breeze yet. If you can notice it in no 

 other way, wet your finger, and holding it up see 

 if you can feel one side colder than the other. This 

 test on a cold morning in dry air is quite delicate, 

 the faintest movement of air making the side toward 

 the wind cooler from increase of evaporation. 



There being no perceptible wind, the next thing in 

 importance is the elevation of ground and its freedom 

 from brush, etc. It is best in hunting such ridges 

 to walk where you can move with the least noise and 

 can get the best view of all the other ridges and the 

 intervening hollows. We will therefore wind along 

 the highest ridges; they being in most places quite 

 free from brush. 



And now we must move with great caution. Avoid, 

 when possible, walking through any brush that your 

 clothes will touch. If you cannot help touching some 

 twigs, ease them off with your hand so that they do 

 not scrape on your clothes, snap, or make a switching 

 noise in flying back. Above all beware of treading 

 upon dead or dried sticks or piles of dead leaves, and 

 feel the ground cautiously with each foot before you 

 rest your whole weight upon it. 



But none of this care must take off any of the atten- 

 tion of your eyes. For these must ajl the time be 

 sweeping the whole ground as far ahead as you can 

 see and covering the whole arc of a semicircle in 

 range. Do not look as a child or woman does at 

 only one thing at a time but let your gaze be com- 

 prehensive as well as keen, taking in at one view the 

 near and the distant, the front and the sides of your 

 field of vision. 



At the same time beware of going too slowly. To 

 traverse sufficient ground is quite as important in the 



