NELSON] TRAPS AND SNARES 123 
a model made by an Eskimo living at the head of Norton sound, shows 
the parts and illustrates the working of this ingenious contrivance: 
1—1 is a cylinder of wood, that material or bone ordinarily being used 
for these traps; 2—2 are crosspieces of wood or bone, bound together 
by strong sinew cords; 3 is an ivory or bone block; 4 is an ivory or 
bone pin, fitting into 3, and is attached to a cord passing through a 
hole in the cylinder to the bait at 10; 5 is a slot cut through the side 
of the cylinder; 6 is a stout lever of bone with a knob at its inner end, 
which is inserted through the cords connecting 2—2; 8 is a pointed 
spike of bone or ivory (a nail is sometimes used on St Lawrence island); 
7 is a peg projecting from the side of the lever. 2—2® are twisted in 
opposite directions until the twisting of the connecting cords, which 
pass around them and through the cylinder, causes a strong tension, 
thus holding the crosspieces so firmly against the ends of the cylinders 
that they can not slip back. This also draws the cord so taut in the 
cylinder that when the lever, 6, is drawn back to lie parallel with 9, a 
great resistance is encountered, acting like a spring to throw it back 
to its first position. The lever, 6, is held in position next to 9 by pass- 
ing 4 over 7 and into 3. The bait is tied to the end of a cord attached 
to 4 at 10, so that it lies just within 8. The trap is then fastened firmly 
to the ground and concealed with earth, but care is taken to insure the 
free working of the lever. The bait is then exposed in line with the 
lever and when a slight pull is given, the pin, 4, is freed and the lever 
springs sharply over, burying the spike set in its end in the skull of the 
animal. e 
These traps work very nicely and strike a heavy blow. They are 
ordinarily made for killing foxes and wolves, but I was told that 
formerly they were sometimes used for bears. 
Figure 13, plate 1, illustrates a cylinder for one of these traps from 
St Lawrence island. It is 12 inches long and 5 inches in diameter, and 
is made from a piece of the jawbone of a whale. It is capped at each 
end by aring of bone held in position by four iron nails. A deep notch 
is cut in the middle of one side of the cylinder, at one end of which is 
a slot and at the other a round hole through the side. 
Figure 11, plate LI, from the same island, is a lever made of bone, 
forked, and armed at the outer end with iron spikes. The inner end 
terminates in a rim of bone. This is the striking arm of one of these 
traps. It has a notch on one side for receiving the trigger. With this 
arm is a bone ring (plate LI, 15), pierced with four heles, intended for a 
cap, at one end of the cylinder. 
Figure 12, plate L1, from the same island, represents another striking 
arm for a trap, with three iron spikes set in it. 
For trapping beavers in their houses square nets, 4 or 5 feet across, 
with meshes large enough for the beaver’s head to pass through, are 
fastened over the entrance to the animal’s house below the surface of 
the water, so that in going out or in the animal will become entangled 
and drown. These nets are sometimes used in the same way for otters. 
