THE ENGLISH SPARROW AS A PEST. 13 



rests on the ground, which is carefully smoothed where the trap will 

 fall, Avhile the opposite side is supported by a stick 18 inches long. 

 Near the upper end of this stick is attached a long cord, and between 

 the top of it and the edge of the trap (see fig. 7) is placed a chip. 

 By setting the trap over bait and pulling the cord from a sheltered 

 point of observation numbers may be caught. Instead of the box 

 described above, by which the birds are taken alive, an old door or 

 similar device may be employed as a deadfall. In either case the 

 trap should be kept set and baited until the sparrows are not afraid 

 to go under it. During this interval, to avoid accidents to creatures 

 for which it is not intended, as well as to insure stability, it may be 

 supported by a stake driven into the ground instead of by the stick 

 used to spring it. Although the sieve trap is easy to construct and 

 effective in operation, it has the disadvantage that someone must be 

 on hand to pull the string at the proper instant. 



Miller Trap. The trap shoAvn in figures 8, 9, and 10 was designed 

 by Mr. Charles W. Miller, director of the Worthington Society for 

 the Study of Bird 

 Life, who has kindly 

 furnished photo- 

 graphs and drawings 

 showing its construc- 

 tion and has given 

 suggestions for oper- 

 ating it. With One PIG. 7. Sieve trap. 



of these traps over 



300 sparrows were caught in less than three months on the society's 

 grounds at Shawnee on Delaware, Pa. It is especially adapted to 

 poultry and pigeon yards, where it can be permanently installed. 

 The poultry or pigeons are fed in the trap, the door being left open 

 until sparrows are accustomed to feed there with them. Later the 

 door is closed and by putting a little bait on the shelf and consider- 

 able on the ground inside, the sparrows are enticed to enter through 

 the open corners at the top (fig. 10-a). After they have learned the 

 way in and out over the shelf, the corners are closed. The sparrows 

 now enter between the partitions (fig. 10-Z>, 6) and are unable to 

 return. Captives are removed from this trap by means of a short- 

 handled net, from which they can be taken by hand. A few birds 

 should be left in the cage as decoys. Captives are removed and the 

 decoys supplied with food and water at dusk when outside birds are 

 at roost. 



The construction of the Miller trap may be described under four 

 heads: (1) The cage^ (2) the frame, (3) the partitions, and (-t) the 

 shields. Figure 10 shows the skeleton of this trap without the wire 



493 



