178 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



perhaps, for several miles, as their head quarters. 

 In this they wander, seldom moving outside 

 except at night, and lying up day after day in 

 almost the same spots. Tracks of such animals 

 will be found to cross and recross each other, as 

 the bull has wandered to and fro daily over the 

 same feeding-grounds. It is a common occur- 

 rence in such places for a sportsman suddenly to 

 run up against his beast while he imagined that it 

 was still many miles away. 



Tracks zigzagging from place to place are 

 always a good sign that the animal has fed at 

 leisure, and is not alarmed. Those leading for 

 a long distance in a bee-line are to be viewed 

 with suspicion : the animals have had notice to 

 quit. Galloping tracks may be abandoned. The 

 quarry is seriously alarmed, will travel for miles, 

 and, if followed, will be found to be very much on 

 the alert when come up with. It is most annoying 

 to find, as occasionally happens, that the tracks 

 of a solitary bull follow those of a herd, and 

 cross and recross the latter. This means that 

 the bull is following the herd and chasing the 

 cows. When this takes place the herd keeps 

 on the run for the whole day, dropping to a 

 walk as the bull is left behind, and trotting 

 off as he comes up again. There is, in such 

 cases, little chance of obtaining a shot. The bull 

 is on the move throughout the day, not even 

 stopping to feed. Warm droppings may be 



