RIP-HAG. 155 



pared with those taken during the winter in traps and 

 snares of various kinds, more especially in the so-called 

 Hip-Hag, or Ripa fence. 



THE RIP-HAG. 



This consists of a long and low hedge, so to say, con- 

 structed of bushes, with openings at stated intervals. 

 A A are straight sticks, of the thickness of one's finger, 

 inserted in the snow at either side of these apertures ; and 

 C C forked sticks, between the prongs of which the 

 snares B B are suspended. To lure the Ripa into the 

 toils, small branches of birch-twigs are placed both in 

 front and rear of the several openings, and when, therefore, 

 the bird has eaten all the buds from off the one bunch, 

 and attempts to renew its meal on the bunch at the 

 opposite side of the fence, it is compelled to insert its 

 head in the snare, and is made captive in the manner 

 represented above. 



At times, however, the forked sticks C C are reversed 

 in the snow, the prongs pointing, in consequence, upwards 

 instead of downwards ; so that in the event of a heavy 

 fall of snow, the trapper has only to raise the sticks suffi- 

 cently to allow of the snares hanging about a hand's- 

 breath above the snow. 



From M. Gronlund's account, it would seem that, in 

 his part of Lapland (Qvickjock), but very few besides 

 Dal-llipa arc taken in the " Hip-Hag," or other devices. 



