34 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



When putting out a line of traps, have the trail cover 

 as little ground as possible, and let them set so that in 

 visiting, tamarack swamps, rush beds, thickets, and 

 sloughs, need not be crossed. Snow falls early when the 

 swamps are but half frozen over, and if the hunter is not 

 cautious, he often breaks through the thin crust of ice 

 under the snow. He is made most uncomfortable, and 

 sometimes, if the weather is cold, a frosted foot is the 

 result. When visiting traps, a straight even trail made 

 in the beginning, saves many steps later in the season. 

 Often when traps are set and trails well broken, fresh 



GROUND TRAP. 



sign will be seen more remote from camp. In breaking 

 new trails to the localities, care should be taken to make 

 old trails of service and camp at all times as accessible as 

 possible. By taking in full the features of a country, and 

 making trails in accordance with peculiarities, much in- 

 convenient travel can be avoided. 



In capturing birds, many species can be taken with va- 

 rious traps which are too numerous to illustrate. The 

 ground trap is one of the simplest and best, and, if prop- 

 erly constructed, will be successful in taking many species 

 of small birds, particularly the thrushes and others which 

 feed on the ground. It is usually made with a box 

 about fifteen inches long, ten inches wide, and seven 

 inches deep, and should be placed in the ground, as 

 seen in the above engraving. A square piece of board, 



