The Mammoth Book of Boys Own Stuff by Jon E. Lewis

Author:Jon E. Lewis [Lewis, Jon E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781780332765
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

COLLECTING ANIMAL TRACKS

This is a good way to enliven a country walk. It also makes for a rewarding, informative hobby.

First buy some plaster of Paris from a craft store and a tub of Vaseline from the pharmacy. Then cut some “collars” of cards about 5 cm high and 20 cm long. Find a child’s plastic bucket (or something similar), a large spoon and a roll of sticky tape. Fill a plastic bottle with water. Put everything in a small backpack and set out into the wild yonder. The best place to look for clear, deep impressions of animal tracks is somewhere slightly damp.

Select the track to be collected. Lightly grease the inside of a collar of card with Vaseline, then put the collar (greasy side in) around the track. Adjust the collar so that it just fits around the track, fixing it in place with sticky tape. In the bucket mix plaster of Paris with water to the consistency of whipping cream. You need just enough of the mixture to fill the collar about 3 cm deep. After the plaster has set – which only takes a few minutes – gently lift the collar off, then carefully dig out the impression.

You now have an exact impression of the foot that made the track.

For tracks in snow, gently sprinkle dry plaster of Paris into the track. Allow to dry. Then top up with the usual plaster of Paris mixture.

Only one thing remains – to identify the animal that made the track. Most animal encyclopaedias should have information on animal “spoors” (tracks). The tracks of some common European and North American animals and birds are shown below.

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