38 THE TRAPPER'S ART. 



spring the hooks and be struck in the centre of the body or 

 breast. The trap must be carefully secreted. 



But the common steel-trap is undoubtedly the best means 

 of taking the Otter; and this instrument should be placed not 

 on the middle of the " slide," but at the highest point of it, 

 where the animal starts for his descent. The reason is, that 

 at that point he is likely to be in a walking position, so as to 

 be caught by his legs ; whereas when he is on his way down 

 the hill, he is sliding and rolling with his fore legs under his 

 body, and is very apt to spring the trap with his breast or belly 

 so as not to be seized by the jaws. Also the trap should be 

 placed a little on one side of the central path of the " slide," 

 because the legs of the Otter stand out on the sides of his 

 body and are so far apart, that he is likely to put down his 

 feet on each side of the trap and not in it, if it is set in the 

 middle of the path. A small cavity should be made in the 

 earth with a knife or hatchet, and the trap inserted so as to 

 be nearly level with the path. Under the pan and around 

 the jaws and springs there should be a light packing of leaves 

 and moss. The top covering should be dry leaves of some 

 evergreen or rotten wood broken very fine and brushed off 

 smooth so as to appear natural. The trap should be fastened 

 in the following manner : Cut a small tree of the size of the 

 chain-ring and set it upright near enough to the path to assist 

 in guiding the animal into the trap, supporting it in that posi- 

 tion and securing the trap and game by withing or tying the 

 top to another tree. The ring should be slipped on the butt 

 and fastened by a wedge. After the trap is thus properly set, 

 covered and fastened, a dry bush may be carelessly dropped 

 in such a position as to turn the Otter in the right direction 

 toward the trap. The whole apparatus should then be thor- 

 oughly drenched with water, which can be done by dipping 

 an evergreen bough in the stream and sprinkling. Finally, 

 perfume the place of the trap with a few drops of the fish-oil 

 described on page 24. The musk of the Otter (which is an 

 oil taken from two small glands, called oil-stones, lying next 

 the skin on the belly of both sexes) may be added to complete 

 the charm. The trapper, in his rounds of inspection, should 



