FERRETS AND RABBITS AGAIN. 407 



a twinkling, thus effectuall}' demonstrating 

 whether I He or not. 



No ferret will live for more than two years 

 unless you let him have a mate, he may run 

 into the third year but will die soon afterwards. 

 The same rule applies to the female ferret, 

 who will probably die the very- first time you 

 stop her from going to the male, nothing is 

 more fatal to ferrets than to stop their 

 breeding. 



I will now say a few words about trapping 

 rabbits in large earths. Put a little spirits of 

 tar on your ferret's feet and tail, and then 

 send your lad on with him. Use a line, and 

 run the ferret through the various holes, 

 pulling him up as soon as he reaches the end 

 of the tether, and keeping him constantly on 

 the move, for the great point is to scent the 

 holes and not to bolt the rabbits. These will 

 leave the earths very quickly on account of 

 the scent of the tar, they won't stand about 

 just inside the holes, sniffing, but will make 

 right away out to avoid the smell, and then 

 3^ou must follow on with your traps. The 



