A Curious ( Turnpike! 31 



ing the wire in its place. The best for the purpose 

 we found were the nut-tree rods that shoot up among 

 the hazel thickets, no larger than the shaft of an arrow, 

 and almost as straight. A slit about half an inch deep 

 was made in the upper end, and in this slit the shank 

 of the wire was sunk. Once or twice the upright 

 was peeled ; but this was a mistake, for the white 

 wand was then too conspicuous. The bark should 

 be left on. 



Three copper wires twisted tight formed the snare 

 itself; we twisted them like the strands of a rope, 

 thinking it would give more strength. The wire pro- 

 jected horizontally, the loop curling downwards. It 

 was first set up at a spot where a very broad and 

 much-worn run more like a footpath than a rabbit 

 track forked into several lesser runs, and at about 

 five yards from the hedge. But though adjusted, as 

 we thought, with the utmost nicety, no rabbit would 

 put his neck into it not even in the darkness of the 

 night. By day they all played round it in perfect 

 safety. 



After waiting some time it was removed and reset 

 just over a hole the loop close to the opening. It 

 looked scarcely possible for a rabbit to creep out 

 without being caught, the loop being enlarged to cor- 

 respond with the mouth of the hole. For a while it 



