Trapping, &€., in a Hinifiiig Conntry. 87 



The safety of a fox also rests in the proper 

 placuig of a bait, to quite as great an extent as it 

 does in any other precaution a trapper can 

 observe. It is a sovereign rule, when trapping 

 for any particular kind of vermin, for the trapper 

 to judge accurately the exact distance between 

 the forefeet of the creature it is desired to trap 

 and its nose ; this having been determined, the 

 bait and trap must be arranged that far apart, 

 care being taken that the former cannot be 

 approached except over the latter. If a trap is 

 placed so that it will take the forefeet of a stoat 

 engaged in smelling the bait, it stands to reason 

 that a fox may lift that same bait without coming 

 within the compass of the jaws. Predaceous 

 creatures are exceedingly cautious when ap- 

 proaching anything having the semblance of a 

 bait, usually stretch their bodies to the fullest 

 extent while endeavouring to obtain possession of 

 or reach it, and the fox observes this rule perhaps 

 more strictly than any other animal. All readers 

 may rest assured that trapping conducted as 

 advised will not endanger a fox. A fox which 

 has once been in a trap and escaped may be 

 trusted never to get into such a difficulty again, 

 as those whose duty it is to trap foxes on grouse 

 moors know to their cost. 



