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have seen one walk deliberately into a trap, rather than go out 

 of liis way six inches, and the trouble is, not to find a traj), but 

 to find the best one for the peculiarities of the animal. Steel- 

 traps set at the mouth of the burrow or in the fields which the 

 animals frequent are sometimes employed ; tliey are baited, as 

 should be all snares for the skunk, with dead mice, or birds or 

 pieces of meat. The objection to steel-traps is that in them 

 the animal is as offensive as ever, and must be killed before it 

 can be removed. 



A writer on the habits of the skunk says : — 



" In summer, these animals can be taken in great numbers by the follow- 

 ing method : Find a place where they travel from their holes to a hen-coop 

 or through a corn-field. Make a path for them by treading down the grass, 

 and set up sticks along on each side to guide them more surely. Set traps at 

 intervals, and strew pieces of meat or dead mice before and behind each trap. 

 A whole family of skunks will walk down this path, the old ones heading the 

 procession ; and as one after another is caught, those behind will climb over 

 and pass on, till all are'taken. I have caught in this way two old ones, and 

 eight young, in a single evening. They seldom discharge when first caught. 

 I have found a trap made by a sapling bent down to a figure four catch, and 

 baited with a dead bird, or a fowl's oilal successful, but the best of all, in my 

 judgment, is a large box-trap set in the animal's path or before his burrow. 

 This trap closes completely, and when the skunk is caught in it, he remains 

 quiet without discharging. The trap still closed, should then be immersed in 

 water until the animal is drowned, when he should be removed, and the trap 

 set for further duty." 



The squirrels have in many localities, in consequence of tbeir 

 great numbers and depredations been regarded as pests, and 

 we confess that in too many instances some of the species have 

 well earned the title ; but all should not be condemned because 

 of the mischief done by the few, and full allowance should be 

 made for the benefits which all the varieties render in some 

 way. We have, in New England, several species, and their 

 habits and characteristics are well marked. The largest of 

 these species is the common gray squirrel, and it is very gener- 

 ally distributed throughout the Atlantic States ; with its con- 

 geners, the fox-squirrel and black squirrel, it is well-known. 

 Its food consists almost entirely of nuts ; and it is to this fact 

 that the multiplication of our forest trees is very largely 

 indebted ; for its habit of burying the different nuts as a pro- 

 vision against the necessities of winter, covering them to the 

 depth of two inches or more, in the rich forest-mould, secures 

 for them the most certain germination. This squirrel is a very 

 liberal provider for its future wants ; and all who are conver- 

 sant with its habits know how busy it is in burying these nuts, 

 from the time of their early ripening, until the ground is 

 covered with snow. 



Now these nuts are not placed in one deposit, or two, or half- 

 a-dozen ; for accident might destroy such caches ; or they 



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