60 SQUIRRELS AND OTHER FUR-BEARERS 



The successful trapper commences in the fall, 

 or before the first deep snow. In a field not too 

 remote, with an old axe he cuts a small place, say 

 ten inches by fourteen, in the frozen ground, and 

 removes the earth to the depth of three or four 

 inches, then fills the cavity with dry ashes, in 

 which are placed bits of roasted cheese. Reynard 

 is very suspicious at first, and gives the place a 

 wide berth. It looks like design, and he will see 

 how the thing behaves before he approaches too 

 near. But the cheese is savory and the cold se- 

 vere. He ventures a little closer every night, 

 until he can reach and pick a piece from the 

 surface. Emboldened by success, like other mor- 

 tals, he presently digs freely among the ashes, 

 and, finding a fresh supply of the delectable 

 morsels every night, is soon thrown off his 

 guard and his suspicions quite lulled. After a 

 week of baiting in this manner, and on the eve 

 of a light fall of snow, the trapper carefully con- 

 ceals his trap in the bed, first smoking it thor- 

 oughly with hemlock boughs to kill or neutralize 

 all smell of the iron. If the weather favors and 

 the proper precautions have been taken, he may 

 succeed, though the chances are still greatly 

 against him. 



Reynard is usually caught very lightly, seldom 

 more than the ends of his toes being between the 



