Winged Vermin Baits for Magpies and Jays. 483 



size. It is easily tilled, (< tilling" indicating not only the 

 actual setting but the covering, &c., in fact, the whole opera- 

 tion necessary before the gin can be left. A vermin trap is 

 most suitable, as it will in all probability be placed upon 

 or rather in grass, and this being the case, either of the 

 special traps figured on pages 476 and 478 would be more 

 troublesome and but equally efficacious. The setting of a 

 gin intended primarily or solely for magpies should be 

 decidedly tickle, but not extremely so, for it is obvious 

 enough that too " tickly " set traps are very liable to 

 spring of their own accord or by touch of some small bird 

 which may perchance hop on to the plate. The setting 

 should be of such a character that the means and materials 

 employed to effect the covering very nearly set off the 

 gin, which lightness is easily determinable. For allure- 

 ment in open places, such as grass fields and meadows, 

 there is nothing to beat a rabbit about half to three-parts 

 grown. It should, before being pegged down, have a portion 

 cut off its side more towards its back than belly, so as to 

 show the flesh along its loins, which done, the bait must 

 be strongly pegged to the ground in such wise that it may 

 appear to be lying naturally on its side as if killed by 

 some furred or feathered varmint, and a portion of the 

 inside exposed as if drawn upon for supplies by any hungry 

 magpie. The intestines should just appear, and the eye 

 be fixed open. A rabbit arranged according to these 

 instructions will be found most alluring to either of the 

 two birds whose capture we are considering. 



The position of the traps set round such a bait may be 

 varied according to fancy, nor does it make much difference 



