248 THE NURSERY. [/ 



The new fown Haws and Mountain- Afh berries, 

 are a prey to the chaffinches, green linnets, and 



other 



The longest of these pieces of wood, or the bait-stick (a} 9 

 should be seven inches in length, half an inch broad, and one- 

 sixteenth thick ; the outward end on the upper side is notch- 

 ed to one-fourth of its thickness, at half an inch from the 

 end. Two and a half inches inwards from the last men- 

 tioned notch, holding the abore end from you, there is a 

 cut made on the right side to half the breadth of the stick, 

 quite through ; from which, towards the outer end on the 

 same side, a little" within the first mentioned notch, the 

 wood is cut out in a circular manner. The inner end is 

 tapered and left rough, in order to make the bait (at b) 

 hold the better upon it. The upper piece (c) is three inches 

 long, half an inch broad, and one- sixteenth of an inch thick. 

 At half an inch from what is to be the highest part of the 

 trap, it is to be notched, like the outer end of the bait-stick, 

 to one-fourth of its thickness ; the other end is made sharp 

 like the face of a chisel. The third piece is of the same 

 thickness and breadth, and four inches long, sharpened at 

 one of its ends like the above, and cut square at the other, 

 This piece is called the pillar (d). 



There are two slates required ; one to lye upon the ground, 

 and this must be pressed so deep into it, as to cause its up- 

 per side to be equal with the general surface ; because, if 

 access to the bait is any way difficult, the mice will take the 

 seeds as the readiest food, although not perhaps the most 

 palatable. Having laid the above slate, and being provided 

 with another, from six to seven inches square, and from one 

 and a half to two pounds weight, take the upper piece (c) 

 mto the left hand, holding the sharp end towards you, and 



the 



