226 S TA G-HUNTING 



As a rule, hinds feed more greedily, and stags, espe- 

 cially the old ones, more daintily ; but Miles used to 

 say that the common theory that a stag took but one 

 bite out of a turnip before he threw it over his head, 

 while the hind took several, could not be depended 

 on ; and that the only trustworthy distinction between 

 the feeding of the sexes was the passion of the stags 

 for the young ash-shoots on a newly-made fence. 



The 'gait' and the 'slot,' however, are worth all 

 the other signs put together, and it is on these that 

 the good harbourer should rely. The main difference 

 between the sexes is that the slot or footprint of a stag 

 is rounder and wider at the heel, and has blunt toes, 

 while a hind has pointed toes, and a long slot with 

 narrow heels. A stag's dew claws point outward, and 

 are large in proportion to his own size, while a hind's 

 are small, turn inward, and point straight down. 



A stag crosses his legs right and left in walking, 

 while with a hind the prints of the hind foot will be 

 in a direct line with those of the fore foot, unless she 

 is heavy in calf ; and it is curious, seeing how careful 

 Nature is to protect animals in that condition, that 

 they should in anything resemble the male at that 

 period. The extra weight on the legs is no doubt the 

 reason, and at calving time the stags are defenceless 

 too, having shed their horns, 



