92 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



and, while larjre inimbLn-s of animals visit the cage in the morning after an 

 evening's trapping, continuous operation of the trap over too long a period 

 will cause the foxes to abandon their trips to the cage for food. Such a prac- 

 tice forces the foxes to search for food elsewhere and also prevents any record 

 being made of those animals, either for their pelts or as breeders. The more 

 timid foxes may be seen to wander about the trap for long periods before enter- 

 ing, and each time the trap is sprung these aiunials are frightened off. The 

 writer believes that the trap should be left open to the foxes at least two full 

 nights in seven, and if all-night trapping is practiced the feeding nights should 

 be increased to three in each week. These precautions are not so necessary if 

 the beaches are unfrozen. 



The actual trapping of the foxes may be begun as early as 4.30 p. m. and 

 continued as late as seems desirable. A responsible native, with an assistant, 

 takes up his ])osition in the trapping room opposite the small window and opens 

 the sliding door by means of a rope. The opening of the dot)r by the trapper 

 exposes the food for the first time on any trapping night, so that no foxes will 

 have previously satisfied their hunger. The ti-apper maintains a constant watch 

 of the trap, and when several foxes are in the cage he lowers the door and 

 imprisons them. This moment for dropping the door must be properly judged. 

 There should be no foxes so near the door that they will be in danger of injury 

 when it drops ; the door should not be closed in the face of animals too near the 

 trap, as they would only be unnecessarily frightened thereby; on stormy nights 

 the door may be so carefully closed that even the foxes within the trap are not 

 aware of the change. Only responsible natives should ever be left in charge 

 of the trap rope; such men understand the foxes and do the work well. 



After closing the trap the operator sends his assistant into the cage and the 

 foxes are driven through the open doors " G " and " J " into the retaining room 

 " C," where they are held until a sufficient number has been caught to war- 

 rant further attention. After closing the doors to the retaining and trapping 

 rooms the cage door is raised and the operation is repeated. 



Hnndlimi of animals.— It is not advisable to hold more than 20 foxes in the 

 retaining room at one time, as the animals have a tendency to clamber about 

 and will pile up and become overheated, particularly in mild weather. On 

 the opening night of the season the foxes can be caught almost as rapidly as 

 the skins can be handled, the trap taking as high as 10 or 12 in a single 

 operation. Later in the season the more timid foxes appeal- and only 2 or 3 

 are taken at intervals of an hour or more. 



When a suitable number of foxes has been caught, the skinners and other 

 men take up their places in the large room " I> " and the work begins. Two 

 or three men, armed with forked sticks, are sent into the retaining room, 

 M'here they catch the foxes by pressing them down to the floor until a proi)er 

 hold has been secured with the hands; the animal is grasped about the neck 

 from behind. This work must be done with as nnich care as is consistent 

 with a fair degree of speed, as some of the animals are to be reserved as 

 future breeders and must not be injured by unnecessarily rough handling. 

 If any marked breeders are found, they are liberated through the door " I " 

 and the exit " K." 



After catching the fox the native passes it through the opening in th<^ 

 special door " L," whereupon a man on the opposite side lakes it from him, 

 holding the animal in the same manner. Another man examines the fox and 

 calls out its sex that it may be written down by the agent. The latter then 

 examines the teeth by pushing back the lips or opening the jaws with a 

 soft gag. 



The weigher now places the fox's tail in the loop of a broad strap attached 

 to a spring balance and the head of the fox is then carefully lowered so that 

 the animal hangs to the scale by its tail. The fox must not be dropped into 

 a hanging position, as the sudden snap might injure the bone or cartilage of 

 the tail. The weight is then called out and the agent makes note of it; he 

 then notifies the weigher whether the fox is to be killed or release<l. If to be 

 relea.sed, the animal is marked and dropped through the door "I" and makes 

 its escape through the exit " K." If to be killed, it is passed to another man 

 (the fox is still held bv the tail) who strikes it a smart blow on the head 

 with a light club. After the fox has l)een stunned in this manner, its netjk 

 is broken by manipulation. The skinner waits a few moments to make certain 

 that the animal is dead, after which he removes tlie pelt while tlie body is 

 yet warm. 



