TRAPS AND TRAPPING. 



405 



discovered by the eye at a two or three yards' distance, and 

 yet will be sprung by half an ounce weight being placed 

 upon the plate, over and above what it has already, and 

 without leaving anything between the jaws, he may be 

 considered a master of his craft. All this should be done with 

 strong leather gloves on the hands, and with as little 

 breathing over the trap as possible. The object of these 

 precautions is to avoid leaving any scent behind, which might 

 alarm, the vermin, who are always suspicious of any place 



where they have 

 reason to believe 

 man has been at 

 work. There are 

 various positions in 

 which this trap 

 should be set, 



FK;. 97. HAWK THAI-. 



which will be presently described. 



In setting gins upon poles the spring should 

 be at right angles to the plate, so as to allow of 

 its being fastened to the side of the post, with- 

 out sticking out from the top in a way to alarm 

 the bird. These gins require to be very care- 

 fully made. The plate should be circular, and 

 should fit exactly into the jaws, so as to leave 

 no space between. This form is shown in fig. 97. 

 The construction is exactly similar to the ordi- 

 nary plan, except that the plate and trigger 

 are at right angles to each other, and that the 

 spring also is set in the same way. Any maker 

 of traps will easily construct them in this 

 fashion, if the idea is given him. The above 

 illustration is drawn from memory, as I cannot 

 obtain one from the shop where they were 

 formerly kept, and it does not exactly indicate 

 the mode of closing the jaws. The spring 

 ought to be continued higher, and should have 

 an arm which embraces the lowest part of the 

 jaws. 



