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tance from the house, the water will probably be too 

 deep for the fish-hawk and kingfisher to do much mischief, 

 as it is only in shallow water that they can be certain of 

 their prey. Cranes will wade into the water and take 

 all that comes within reach of their long bills whether 

 frogs, snakes or fish. But they are very few in number, 

 and the trout are wary. If any of these birds appear, 

 shoot them. Muskrats sometimes get into the ponds. 

 They can not often catch the trout, but will destroy the 

 young and the spawn if they can get at the troughs, and 

 they eat many of the insects on which the trout feed, 

 besides they makes holes in the banks of the ponds and 

 let the water off. A few traps will soon dispose of them. 

 It may be worth while to mention here the manner of 

 catching them. Find out the places where the muskrats 

 go into the ponds. They will make a little bare path, 

 or run on the edge of the bank, by always going in and 

 out at the same place. Then set a trap (a common game 

 trap, such as is sold in all country stores) in the water, so 

 that the plate of the trap will come in the middle of 

 the run and about a half an inch under water, taking 

 care to place the jaws of the trap in such a direction 

 that when shut they will be in a line with the run. 

 Then stake the chain into deep water. No bait is 

 necessary. If any bait is used a sweet apple or parsnip 

 may be stuck on a stick and the stick stuck into the 

 bank so as to bring the apple just over the jaws of the 

 trap when closed. The muskrat conies through his run, 

 steps on the pan of the trap and springs it. He tries 

 to take it with him to the shore. If he succeeds in 

 doing this, he will likely get out in some way; for 

 instance, if he is caught by the leg, he will sit down and 

 knaw it off, in order to get free. But as the trap is 

 staked out into the water, he can not get to shore, and 



