Ground Vermin Figure-of-Four Trap. 297 



should be Jin. deep, and to cut it neatly and correctly 

 make a slit in the wood (at c) |in. deep ; then having 

 placed the piece upon its edge, cut out the notch on one 

 side of the slit and the curve on the other. The correct 

 manner of cutting and the position of the notches is best 

 seen by reference to the drawing. 



The other essential in this trap is either a good thick 

 slate or a flat stone, about i8in. square, or if these be not 

 obtainable, a board cover may be employed, but this will 

 obviously require weighting. Of course, either of the former 

 is infinitely to be preferred. 



To set the trap, first attach the bait to the stretcher (A), 

 by a piece of wire, allowing it to just hang on the lower side. 

 It is not advisable to employ any thick hard bait that will 

 prevent the cover weight falling flat upon the ground, other- 

 wise the vermin may be unhurt and squeeze itself out at the 

 side. Next place a piece of slate, or a flat level stone, about 

 two or three inches wide it need not be shaped in a regular 

 manner, and for preference otherwise upon the ground, just 

 about on the line where the outside edge of the trap will rest 

 when fallen. Upon this, and with the side shown in the 

 drawing to the front, place (C), then put the notch of (B), on 

 the point of (C), the small end outside the notch in the 

 slanting stick alone supporting the stone or slate which may 

 form the cover. Take up the stretcher (A), and fit the point 

 of the slanting stick (B), into one of the notches of the 

 stretcher, whichever may seem most suitable ; place it 

 transversely to the upright, fit the slanting notch to the 

 notch (c), in (C), and having found by gently releasing hold, 

 that all the pieces catch together, the figure of four is formed 



