410 Thomas Thomsen 



upon which they are erected; the traps are thus so closely connected 

 with the ground itself that a description of them should naturally 

 be placed together with those of graves, houses, meat stores and 

 other fixed stone remains. And as regards the Danmark Expedition, 

 they are also included in Hr. Chr. Bendix Thostrup's section, ^ 

 where mention is made of over 80 traps encountered by various 

 members of the Expedition on their journeys. 



There would thus be no reason to refer to them here, were it 

 not for the fact that the material actually brought home included 

 a specimen of the type: a fox-trap,^ which Hr. Thostrup found 

 set, together with 11 others, at Baadskæret, — evidently a particu- 

 larly favourable spot for the capture of foxes. The traps were placed 

 here and there between the meat depots, the smell from which 

 would doubtless have served to attract the animals to the place. 



This particular trap is described at the place quoted as follows: 

 "Built of medium and small stones. Falling door in its place. One 

 of the uppermost covering stones removed". The dimensions of the 

 inner chamber are stated as: Length 060, breadth 020 and height 

 0'17 m. The condition in which it was found, with door closed and 

 the upper stones in disorder, shows that the last time it was touched 

 by a human hand must have been when the trapper lifted the cov- 

 ering stones to look at his catch. 



The three sides of the trap are formed of 7 stones, one in the 

 rear wall and 3 in each side wall; the space thus enclosed is roofed 

 and weighted down with 12 other stones. In front of this chamber, 

 a stone is placed on either hand, in continuation of the two long 

 sides; between these two stones and the next pair a space has been 

 left for the falling door, a more or less flat stone, which, when 

 stood on edge, sufficed to close the trap. The foremost pair of stones 

 are intended to hold the door in place, and prevent the captured 

 fox from forcing it out. The bait is placed on a pointed stone set in 

 the back wall. 



When the trap is set ready for use, the falling door is held up 

 by a thong passing lengthwise over the roof, with the bait attached 

 to the other end. As soon as the animal has torn the meat from 

 the stone on which it is skewered, the holding thong is released, 

 and the entrance closed by the fall of the stone door. The fox being 



' Especially p. 198—200, Fox traps; illustrations p. 198 and 244; hollow cairn 

 p. 233—35. 



2 Mus. No. L. 3616. Described by Thostrup p. 259 under No. 279. The stones 

 were marked on the spot before taking the trap to pieces, and the subsequent 

 setting up in the Museum was carried out by Hr. Thostrup himself in accor- 

 dance with the original notes. 



