THE MOUSE 143 



if set up too close or too far back. Run the prop (/) through a bean 

 or a pea, and place the wire thus baited in a slanting direction (i) 

 for the slightest touch to move it, then down comes the brick (h). 

 Take care in setting that the prop may not have all the weight of 

 the brick, otherwise it will press so tightly to the other brick that 

 it will not fall with the touch of a mouse. Where there is a wall, 

 as indoors, only one brick is required. A handy man will set up 

 a score of such traps in five minutes, and when baited with suitable 

 substances they form first-rate sparrow or other bird traps. 



FIG. 92. STRING BRICK TRAP. 

 References : ;', pegs ; k, string ; /, brick ; m, bait. 



The STRING-BRICK TRAP (Fig. 92) consists of two pegs, a piece 

 of string, two or three peas, and a brick. To form it, push the two 

 pegs (j) into the ground at about 6 in. distance apart, thread 

 two or three peas on soft packthread, string or twisted matting (k), 

 tie this tightly to the pegs, the peas being in the middle, and place 

 the brick (/) in a slanting direction on the bait (m). Then the 

 ground being quite level and firm, down falls the brick when a 

 mouse nibbles through the peas and string, the latter steeped in 

 toasted cheese " fat " just where the peas are placed, tempting the 

 mouse to nibble it through more quickly. 



Various forms of fatal traps, always the most humane, may be 

 had of ironmongers, such as the " Irish " with from 3 to 6 holes, 

 catching by the head, and the " Electric " crushing the animal by 

 a stroke -down wire. 



Traps for catching mice alive comprise numerous forms, such as 

 the " Tinned Wire," single and double entrance, and " Improved " 

 of both those. " X. L " wove wire in three compartments, and 



