can be simplified by the use of an additional cord curtain or seine Inside the trap, fig. 6. The 

 curtain is the same height and length as the trap. One end is attached vertically to the ramp door 

 section indicated in fig. 3, and for half Its length the top edge Is hog-rlnged to the support wire 

 nearest the drop curtain, while the bottom edge Is weighted and temporarily held In place by thread- 

 ing a piece of Iron pipe through the lower meshes. Thus, a temporary passageway can be formed In- 

 side the trap; this passageway Is about the same width as the wire passageway on the outside. The 

 remaining unattached half of the netting may be operated much In the manner of a fish seine: the 

 geese are herded together and then a desirable number, usually about 30, are cut off from the re- 

 mainder of the catch and driven Into the holding box via the curtain alleyway and wire passageway, 

 figs. 6 and 7. When not In use, this seine Is bunched and tied to the ramp door section of the trap 

 In order to reduce Its consplcuousness. ^ '., 



Fig. 8 . --Banding a Canada gooae. Sote rack lor holding various types and colors of bands. 



BANDING TABLE 



When large numbers of birds are trapped and banded, any device that adds appreciably to the 

 over-all efficiency Is Important. In this respect, a small table equipped with a rack for holding 

 bands Is helpful, fig. 8. A band rack proved particularly advantageous at Horseshoe Lake, as each 

 age class of geese was given alxjmlnum bands of a different color and frequently a numbered celluloid 

 band for later Identification with field glasses. 



CAMOUFLAGE 



Camouflage may be particularly important In trapping Canada geese early in autumn when food is 

 plentiful outside the traps. Although the 1946 catches of geese at Horseshoe Lake were made without 

 the use of camouflage. In previous years the traps were made less conspicuous with cornstalks. The 

 stalks were transplanted in rows outside the entrance to th^ traps and along the sides. Inside, 

 cornstalks were hog-rlnged to the top netting so that, vflien they were struck by the geese, the butt 



