306 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



by men and dogs as they come out into the 

 enclosure. 



One man reports that he has made great 

 catches with a wire-cage trap, which he sets 

 inside of a wooden box having a hole in one 

 end against which the hole in the baited cage- 

 trap is fitted. The box is then covered with 

 trash and left. Sometimes several get in at 

 once; especially if a single rat is left in it, 

 whose squealing attracts others. 



Large cage-traps, another advises, should 

 be baited and left open for several 

 nights until the rats are accustomed to enter 

 them to obtain food. They should then be 

 closed and freshly baited, when a large catch 

 may be expected, especially of young rats. 



Trapping is a simple way to destroy field- 

 mice, but it needs to be steadily and systemat- 

 ically continued to be of much service. It has 

 special advantages for small areas such as 

 lawns, gardens, and vegetable or nursery pits 

 and packing houses, where a limited number 

 of mice are present, and wherever, for any rea- 

 son, there are objections to the laying out of 

 poison. As voles do not readily enter cage- 



