TRAPS. 231 



bin, where we could survey the garden and a portion 

 of the adjacent woodlands ; but our visitors gave the 

 trampa a wide berth, though their sidelong glances 

 showed that they had not forgotten the place. They 

 nosed about in the stubble, but the gleaners had been 

 beforehand with them, and, after an apparently aimless 

 ramble among the furrows, one gray-headed old brigand 

 happened to fetch up right in front of the box, perhaps 

 much to his own surprise, though, by a strange coinci- 

 dence, five of his relatives reached there at about the 

 same time. The gray-head raised himself on his hind- 

 legs, surveyed the field in every direction, and then 

 began to tack, i.e., approached the box in a roundabout 

 way, lowering his head with every step, till he reached 

 the trap-hole, where he settled down on his haunches, 

 but with one hand in position for a sudden back-spring. 

 With the other he explored the sand for maize-kernels, 

 in utrumque paratus. His manoeuvres seemed to have 

 reacted on the imagination of his companions, for two 

 youngsters took to their heels, but presently returned, 

 and, with a bravado-flourish of their tails, advanced to 

 within a few inches of the trampa. Turning half round, 

 to let the by-standers witness the proofs of his heroism, 

 one of them stretched out his hand till it all but touched 

 the suspicious apparatus, but then, as if struck with a 

 sudden horror at the thought of possible consequences, 

 they both fled more precipitately than before and 

 rushed into the arms of a motherly old capuchina, 



