THE BEAVER. 63 



simply set the trap in the lower end of the 

 slide, three inches under the water ; cover it 

 lightly with wet leaves and mud, and leave 

 everything so far as possible as natural as 

 when you found it. By going along the 

 banks you will find places where you can use 

 your drowning-pole ; here make a slide as 

 near like the original as you can by shoving 

 leaves out of the water on to the bank ; set 

 the trap three inches under the water at the 

 foot of your slide, taking pains to conceal it 

 well with leaves and mud, and make it fast to 

 the drowning-pole. Place the bait six inches 

 above the trap on a leaf in the slide and 

 place another leaf over it and thus prevent 

 the sun from killing the bait. Set as many 

 traps as you think there are beavers. Use 

 the perfumed bait, that is, any one of the first 

 three described above, on the slides you 

 make yourself for the first two nights. Then, 

 if you think you have not caught all of the 

 beavers, bait the traps that have been set on 



