tl(> THE FOX 



Trap, 3 in., bevelled spring, brass catch, and loop chain complete, 

 305. per dozen. This trap, Fig. 80, may be set after the manner 

 shown in Fig. 76, baited with a freshly killed small rabbit in place 

 of the egg or chick bait as advised for the hedgehog (this animal 

 being most attracted by a dead rabbit when kept till it is decidedly 

 high), some trappers disembowelling the bait -rabbit and opening 

 out the belly part so as to expose the kidneys and placing so as 

 to face the trap at the back of the improvised run. The trap in 

 this case is covered with fine soil by means of the " sifter," a box- 

 like implement with a screen at bottom and a handle to operate 

 with, and acts equally well against poaching cats as the weasel 

 family, also the hedgehog. 



Weasels are generally most active during the early spring months 

 before the hedges are in full leaf, and at this time it is more easy 

 to catch them in traps. They often hunt in couples, and after the 

 young are grown up as many as five or six will join in the chase of 

 a rabbit, which rarely escapes. The bottom of a hedge or that of 

 a small dry ditch is a favourite "road," and among buildings 

 weasels always travel along just at the foot of the walls or anything 

 that will give them temporary shelter from observation. Success, 

 therefore, in trapping depends largely upon finding out these likely 

 roads, and there setting Small Run Vermin Traps, preferably by 

 placing two flat tiles inverted v or ridge fashion over an open run, 

 or setting up a flat tile, stone, or old slab in a slanting position 

 against a wall or board fence, these tempting vermin coming that 

 way to pass between them and on the trap, while this is not likely 

 to be sprung by domestic animals. 



The best way to take the weasel and stoat, also polecat, is to 

 make false drains where three or four hedges meet, get four 4-in. 

 drain-pipes, dig out the earth enough to cover them, and leave the 

 surface level. Cover the pipes as in draining, make several branch 

 runs by nicking out the earth with a spade, all leading to the mouth 

 of the drain. Place a small Run Trap as far in the drain as you 

 can reach to peg it down. By the side of a ditch or brook is a good 

 locality for placing these traps, no covering or bait being required. 



DESTRUCTIVE 



Fox. In the hunting shires of England and Wales there are 

 about 170 foxhound packs containing 6,400 couples of hounds ; 

 in Scotland, n packs, with 358 couples ; and in Ireland, 24 packs, 

 with 1,042 couples, testifying to the great favouritism of Reynard 

 for affording sport, his cunning and trickery being so notorious that, 

 notwithstanding his many faults, he has always been tolerated 

 and even treated with favour by the northern races, being sacred 

 to the mighty Thor, whose red, flaming beard was of the same typical 

 colour. Nevertheless, in the mountain districts of the British Islands, 



