302 CHAPTER XLII. 



compelled to say, in the Nigois dialect, " Capisi pas." 

 Take an empty flower-pot, a short rod of iron or hard 

 wood, a thick piece of board large enough to stand 

 the flower-pot on, lastly, a bit of Arundo-stem : a 

 piece of Elder-wood, with the pith removed, will do 

 just as well. Now fix the iron rod upright in the 

 middle of the board, and place the pot mouth down- 

 ward on the board, with the iron rod passing through 

 the hole which is in the bottom of the pot. Next cut 

 your wooden tube, Arundo or Elder, to such a length 

 that if placed vertically under the pot it would just 

 allow the rim of the latter to rest on the board. To 

 set the trap, remove the flower-pot from the iron rod, 

 slide the tube over the rod, and place a bit of crust or 

 cheese-rind close to the foot of the rod, so as to 

 prevent the tube from touching the board : it should 

 be raised about an inch. Thus the pot, when placed 

 mouth downward on the rod, will hang with its rim 

 just above the board, leaving space for a mouse to 

 pass under. The mouse pulls away the bit of cheese : 

 this allows the Arundo-tube to slide down the rod, 

 and the pot, which is supported by the tube, falls and 

 rests upon the board. Of course the hole in the 

 flower-pot must not be large enough to let the Arundo- 

 tube slip through. 



Weasel. A douanier gave me an interesting 

 account of a battle which he said he had witnessed 

 between a Weasel and a viper. The two animals 

 fought fiercely until they were out of breath ; then 

 they retired, each one to a certain plant, of which he 

 ate a leaf or two. By this they were so refreshed and 

 renovated that they were soon able to renew the 

 battle with redoubled energy. After each " round " 



