General Notices. 585 



spoken of; and yet not so 

 rank but that it suffer the 

 bridge to fall when wanted 

 (as shown by the dotted 

 lines n). It is brought back 

 by the weight (A), and moves 

 X\ on pivots at s. 



\\ The beauty of this trap 



••^ is, that, when once set, and 



'V the catch (r) regulated to 



\ its proper pitch, it requires 



\ no further trouble. One is 



sufficient for the whole pre- 

 mises. The great object is, to give them time enough to get acquainted 

 with it; for which purpose every thing should be done to attract them 

 to the spot, and to make them feel themselves at home. A little pale 

 malt, slightly tinctured with oil of caraway, will prove to be the most 

 inviting dish you can set before them ; and it will be well to bear in mind, 

 that no part of the trap, not even the straw or the wood by which it is 

 surrounded, ought to be touched by the naked hand without first rubbing 

 the skin with a portion of the oil of caraway. Do not scatter the malt 

 upon the bridge (g), but spread it carelessly, as it were, about the feeding 

 end of the trough (in). It will thus be in sight from the other end (n) ; 

 and, to get it, the rats must pass the bridge (g); for it will be seen at 

 Jig. 2. that the entrance to the trap is now (by means of the wood piled 

 up) at the end of the trough (?z), although at first it had an entrance at 

 each end, and was, as I have stated, a complete thoroughfare. Indeed, 

 some have them on this plan still ; having no particular feeding place, and 

 trusting entirely to time and chance for what they may catch ; having first 

 taken pains to make the trap a run, and the place itself a harbour for rats. 

 I do not know that it is requisite for me to add many more words. The 

 drawings sufficiently explain the principle ; and as to dimensions, those can 

 be determined by the projector, and must, in some degree, depend on the 

 size and convenience of the building to which the ra^tery is attached. The 

 trap itself should not be above 3 or 4 inches wide, and 12 or 15 inches 

 long ; in order to allow plenty of room for the fall of a large rat. " The 

 forlorn hope" into which he dropped from " doubting castle," — for, you will 

 observe, my friend had the Pilgrim's Progress in his eye when he was thus 

 labouring to entrap sinners, — " the forlorn hope," I say, should be suffi- 

 ciently deep to prevent the rat from making any attempt to reach the 

 bottom of the trap (g) ; for which purpose it should be of a conical form, 

 and perfectly smooth inside. Once in " the forlorn hope," therefore, he 

 has no means of egress but by the pipe or drain (/), the length of which 

 is immaterial, and which conducts to a tub or cistern of water called, not 

 inaptly, " the slough of despond." Against the side of this tub is fixed a 

 flap (p), upon which, as the only chance of escape, the rat jumps from the 

 mouth of the pipe (/). It gives way under him, as shown by the dotted 

 line, and he soon ends his career in " the slough of despond." 



It will be observed, that the operation of this trap is so silent, and yet 

 so effectual, that hundreds may be caught in quick succession without any 

 alarm being given to the remainder ; for it appears that they continue but 

 a very short time in " the forlorn hope," leaving it almost immediately 

 for " the slough of despond ;" their immersion in which (it being at such 

 a distance from the trap) is unattended with any noise : whereas, had the 

 water been immediately under the fall (g), each rat would have occasioned 

 more or less of disturbance, and thus have intimidated many. Besides, the 

 mere examination of the cistern, and taking out the captured, would have 

 been a constant source of annoyance ; whereas, in its present situation, it 



