308 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



fields, orchards, gardens, and irrigation em- 

 bankments, where only a few gophers are pres- 

 ent; but in the case of large areas that are 

 badly infested, the method involves too much 

 labor. An ordinary No. steel trap may be 

 employed with success, but there are on the 

 market several special gopher-traps which are 

 better adapted for general use. 



ONE FORM OF GOPHER-TRAP. 



In using the ordinary steel trap, the first 

 step is to make an opening into the main go- 

 pher tunnel. The trap should then be sunk 

 so that the jaws are level with the bottom of 

 the runway and lightly covered with green clo- 

 ver, alfalfa grass, or even loose soil, care being 

 taken that these do not clog under the pan, or 

 trigger. No bait is required. The hole should 



