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trap in the open it should be fastened to a board on which about an 

 inch of soft dirt has been spread. Place the trap where the rat Usually 

 goes for food or in a runway and disturb the surroundings as little 

 as possible. It is sometimes well to place the trap near where there 

 is dripping water, as the rats come there to drink. If the trap is 

 set in hay or straw or wood it should be covered (with the exception 

 of the entrance) with this material. When this is not possible it 

 should be covered with a piece of sacking or placed in a dark corner 

 or beneath the floors. When setting the traps in the sewer a dry 

 place should be chosen. 



The rat is more or less of an epicure, therefore the bait should be 

 changed at frequent intervals. Also he should be given food which 

 he is not in the habit of getting. For example: In a meat market 

 vegetables are the best bait, while in a location where vegetables are 

 plentiful fresh liver and fish heads, or a little grain, are best. The 

 following may be suggested as good bait to be used : Fish, fish heads, 

 raw meat, cheese, smoked fish, fresh liver, cooked corn beef, fried 

 bacon, pine nuts, apples, carrots, and corn. When trapping in chicken 

 yards a small chick or duckling is remarkably good. When a large 

 number of rats are caught in one trap, search for the female and leave 

 her alive in the trap, as she may call in the young or the males* The 

 bait should be fastened to the inner side of the top of the trap with 

 a piece of fine wire so that the first rat in can not force the bait under- 

 neath the pan and thus prevent the entrance of other rats. A few 

 grains of barley should be scattered near the entrance of the trap 

 and a small piece of cheese or meat fastened to the pan with a piece 

 of wire. It is often well to touch the pan with a feather which has 

 been dipped in oil of anise or oil of rhodium. Before leaving the 

 trap it should be smoked with a piece of burning newspaper to kill 

 the smell of the human hands or the rats which have been in it. 

 Do not handle the trap after burning it out. When trapping in a 

 neighborhood where rats are known to exist the traps should not be 

 moved for three or four days unless they have rats in them, as it is 

 well for the rats to become accustomed to seeing them and thus 

 careless about entering. It is not wise to kill rats where they are 

 caught, as the squealing may frighten the other rats away. 



SNAP TRAPS. 



Snap or spring traps are best for use in houses and stores, with 

 the exception of fish and meat markets. Snap traps are best for use 

 in runways, beams, and shelves. It is sometimes well to disguise the 

 trap by covering its floor with a little sawdust or dirt. They should 

 be first tested to see that they work properly and that the staples 

 are secure. New traps should be smoked or stained to render them 

 an inconspicuous color. 



