Winged Vermin Taking Magpies and Jays. 475 



for crows and rooks are, to a certain extent, equally 

 adapted for magpies and jays, while those we now intend 

 to describe will " come in handy " for the various winged 

 vermin presently to be considered. Thus, either or all the 

 traps and gins mentioned in connection with the crow and 

 the rook may be brought into use to take either the prying 

 magpie or the wary jay ; their setting being, as far as 

 the plain manipulation and covering of the traps are con- 

 cerned, exactly similar, although their position in various 

 and different situations may be otherwise. 



Some go in for large gins, having widely-opening jaws 

 and requiring a heavy tap to spring them. We, however, 

 favour smaller-sized ones than the ordinary rabbit trap, 

 quick-striking, and requiring but a slight weight to draw 

 them. The best and most suitable of this sort which we 

 know is Lane's (of Wednesfield) No. 4 best Dorset Vermin 

 Trap, 3in. in the jaw. These gins cost, compared with 

 other vermin gins, slightly more, but are correspondingly 

 superior, being as well made and as well finished as any 

 rabbit trap. The springs are quick, the catch well formed 

 and fitted, and the teeth are set so as to give an excellent 

 grip without cutting, being, moreover, well defined and 

 numerous. The chains fitted are also superior in make 

 and finish to the usual run of these articles, and the trap 

 altogether is cheap and excellent in every respect. 



Some more traps with which we have made acquaintance 

 are also made by the manufacturer just named; and, 

 although intended for the capture of very different animals 

 than those for the taking of which we would recommend 

 them, their comparative novelty of design and handiness 



