362 OF INSECTS, •&€. 



in and out at pleasure j this will make them fear- 

 less. Lay some of the bait at the rat holes, and 

 scatter a little of it quite up to the traps, and so on 

 to the bridge of each trap, where you may lay a 

 handful. It may also be proper to scent the traps 

 with the following mixture, for the purpose of en- 

 ticing the rats into them. 



Take twenty drops of oil of rhodium, six or seven 

 grains of musk, and half an ounce of oil of anni- 

 seed ; put them in a small phial, and shake it well 

 before using : — then dip a bit of twisted paper, 

 or rag, in the mixture, and rub each end of the 

 trap with it, if a box-trap, and put two or three 

 drops on the bridge, leaving the paper or rag in the 

 trpp. Of whatever kind the trap is, it should be 

 scented : once in a twelvemonth will be sufficient. 

 Then throw some chaff, mixed with a little wheat, 

 about the bottom of the trap, in order to deceive 

 the rats ; for they are very sagacious, and will not 

 enter a suspicious place. This will be necessary 

 to be done only at the first time of setting the 

 traps ; for after some rats have been caught and 

 have watered and dunged in them, rats will enter 

 boldly when they find others have been there be- 

 fore them ; do not, therefore, wash or clean out the 

 trap, as some people do before they set it again ; 

 but let the dung and urine remain in it. Keep 

 the places where the traps are set as private as 

 possible ; and when you set them for catching, 

 mix no bread with the bait, as the rats will in that 

 case be apt to carry it away. 



