98 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTIT.TR. [VOL. IV. 



A modification of this trap is occasionally used by a few to capture 

 the beaver. But as the Crees are credited with its invention, no further 

 mention of it is necessary. 



Fig. 83 represents a kind of trap differing in every particular from the 

 three already described. It is proper to the Tse'kehne and does service 

 against marmots. As shown in the cut, it is usually set in front of the 

 animal's den, and its action or working apparatus has some resemblance 

 to the common figure four trap. Its trip stick a is laid across the entrance 

 of the marmot's den and is disposed so as to form a right angle with the 

 left side of the spring stick b. Of course this is concealed from view with 

 dry grass, leaves, moss or any other available vegetable material. In 

 order to give even a clearer idea of the mechanism of the trap, its com- 



Fig. 84. 



ponent parts will be found separately drawn in fig. 84. Let it suffice ot 

 add that, while the fall stick is looped to the springing piece b, the small 

 end of the latter is at the same time notched in the trip stick a and con- 

 nected with the post c through the double string d, which presses in the 

 extremity of both trip and spring pieces. 



These traps are not hastily constructed on the spur of the momen; 

 with any chance material taken at random from the immediate vicinity 

 of the spot where they are set. They require some little care in their 

 preparation, and they are therefore made at home, and carried about 

 with their different parts tied together as shown in fig. 85. 



SNARES. 



Whilst we are occupied with the divers contrivances invented by native 

 ingenuity to capture land animals, it may be well to give some idea of 

 the Western Denes' methods of snaring the same. To such as may be 

 tempted to call in question the appositeness of such minute details, I 

 would beg to point out that the aborigines, whose technology we are 

 studying, are pre-eminently huntsmen no less than fishermen ; and to 

 call complete a review of their industrial implements, which does not 



