POISONING AND TRAPPING 297 



lengths. The poisoned food is distributed near 

 or in the mouth of burrows, a small pinch at a 

 place, especially in cold weather, when the an- 

 imals do not feed in the open. Green alfalfa 

 bait should not be put out when the sun is hot. 



In the absence of alfalfa, crushed wheat, oat- 

 meal and corn, among the grains, and seeds of 

 various plants, as the tomato, dandelion, sun- 

 flower and others, may be substituted. The 

 bait should be soaked over night in a poisoned 

 sirup, a quart of which is enough to poison half 

 a bushel of grain. If after thorough mixing 

 the solution is not sufficient to wet all the grain, 

 add a little water. After standing over night, 

 if the grain is too wet, a little dry corn-meal 

 will take up the excess of moisture. If oat- 

 meal is used as a bait, when the mass is wet 

 throughout with the sirup, it may be used im- 

 mediately. 



Because of the danger of destroying native 

 birds, such as quail, the poisoned bait should 

 be placed only under shelters which will admit 

 mice but exclude birds. Wide boards lying 

 upon thin cross-pieces of wood are excellent for 

 the purpose. For pine mice baits may be 



