Ground Vermin Places for Gins. 293 



the vermin which may have detected the lure to endeavour 

 to obtain it, which desirable end can only be achieved by 

 its passage through one of the narrow openings ; each one, 

 however, must be carefully provided with a neatly tilled 

 gin, ready to accomplish the discomfiture of any intruder. 

 This mode requires some amount of care and trouble, but 

 is sufficiently productive of good results, when the site 

 is well chosen, to warrant its adoption in such places as 

 the trapper may deem satisfactory. 



Parks, and especially those surrounded with close palings, 

 are favourite localities for vermin, and many opportunities 

 round these wooden fences are offered for employing traps. 

 The kind of paling alluded to is that formed by thinnish 

 lengths of boards made to overlap one another longitudinally, 

 and nailed on to square lengths of wood which run along 

 from post to post about I2in. from the ground. Vermin 

 are extremely fond of what is generally termed running 

 the posts, which consists of jumping upon these horizontal 

 pieces, and, while scuttling along them, rubbing themselves 

 against the inequalities formed by the construction of the 

 fence. Now, if some unbaited and even uncovered gins 

 be placed at rather wide intervals along the wood described, 

 when vermin exist to any appreciable extent in the inclosure, 

 they are sure to get into the traps so placed. Of all the 

 vermin the beech marten is most addicted to this practice, 

 and next the polecat and stoat. Further, if a deep cut 

 be made into the gate post about ift. to i8in. from the 

 ground, forming a sort of platform in the side of the wood, 

 and a gin be here placed, a varmint is almost sure to 

 leap up if the hole be noticed. 



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