44 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDK. 



animal is caught in a steel trap, the disagreeable emission 

 will be prevented. All animals should be killed either 

 by breaking the backbone or by compressing the ribs, to 

 stop the breath ; never by a blow on the head, as this is 

 liable to injure the skull, which must be preserved entire 

 for scientific investigation. 



The following animals may be decoyed into traps by 

 means of peculiar scents : Foxes, Fishers, Martens, Minks, 

 Weasels, Wildcats of all species, Otters, Beavers, Bears, 

 Muskrats, and Raccoons. These scents are made of differ- 

 ent substances. The musk of the Muskrat, contained in 

 two glands situated just below the skin upon the back 

 part of the abdomen, will decoy Muskrats and Minks, and 

 perhaps Wildcats. This musk may be procured from the 

 male in early spring. After the two glands spoken of 

 are removed, they may be cut open, when the musk 

 which is a milky fluid will appear, and may be squeezed 

 out, mixed with alcohol, and kept for use. This musk is 

 used in the following manner : Cut a stick of pine about 

 six inches long, make a small cavity in one end ; into this 

 drop a little of the musk, fasten the stick in such a position 

 that the animal to be decoyed must place his foot upon 

 the trap in order to reach it. 



Foxes, I have been informed by old trappers, are read- 

 ily decoyed by using the fetid scent of the Skunk in the 

 same manner. This scent is a greenish fluid, and is con- 

 tained in glands situated in the anal region ; it may be 

 obtained in the same manner as the musk, although the 

 operation is not pleasant. All of the above-named ani- 

 mals may be successfully decoyed by usinir an excessively 

 fetid scent prepared during warm weather in the follow- 

 ing manner: Take a good-sized eel or trout, and cut it 

 in small pieces ; place it in a quart bottle, cover the top 

 with gauze to keep the flies out, hang the bottle on the 

 south side of a fence or building, and let it remain two 



