THE PRACTICE OF DEER-STALKING 137 



dressing-yourself in the manner suggested, the spot, 

 as observed from any given distance, will be half the 

 size of that caused by wearing a suit of ' dittos.' In 

 other words, the figure of a man dressed in clothes 

 all of one design is visible at twice the distance that 

 he might be ' picked up ' by deer if he had a coat and 

 waistcoat of a different pattern from that of his nether 

 garments. 



A more serious matter, no doubt, is that of the 

 rifle with which a deer-stalker should be armed. 

 But on this subject opinions differ widely, and it 

 would not be easy, without alluding by name to 

 makers of various rifles, to go thoroughly into the 

 subject. This hardly comes within the scope of my 

 present purpose, nor indeed do I feel competent to 

 undertake the task. Some kind of what is called an 

 ' Express ' rifle with a flat trajectory, carrying a light 

 elongated bullet with a heavy charge of powder behind 

 it, fulfils all the conditions which seem to be indis- 

 pensable. Probably a -450 bore is the most convenient. 

 If much larger in the gauge you get too heavy a weapon, 

 especially when following a wounded deer uphill on a 

 hot day, and the bullet makes an unnecessarily large 

 wound. On the other hand, a rifle with too small a 

 bore is naturally not so effective in stopping a stag as 

 one of larger dimensions. 



