Dr. A. G. Butler ;



284



Take them all round there is nothing' to equal the break-backs

for execution, although after a time one may have a dozen of these

set in every corner most frequented by the vermin without catching

one for several weeks in succession and then, without any apparent

reason, you may secure one or two every night. The chief objec¬

tion to the break-back trap is that it occasionally catches a mouse

by the hind leg or tail and thus causes unsatisfactory suffering,

although doubtless our conception of the pain is far greater than

it actually is, since a mouse caught by the leg or tail will sometimes

bite it off in order to escape.


One of the most ingenious and complex contrivances is the

water-trap : I fear if I tried to explain the mechanism I should be

unable to make it clear to my readers, hut it can be bought at most

oil-shops and ironmongers for one or two shillings. When I first

began to keep birds I purchased one : and, when new, it used to

entice from two to four mice to a watery grave every night; but

after a time they refused to enter it and the tank rusted through.

Years later I bought another, on the back of which was a heart¬

rending picture of two mice weeping into pocket-handkerchiefs,

presumably over the death of near relatives.


I had this second water-trap set for months and not a mouse

entered it, so I put it aside as useless. A month or two ago my

gardener proposed to set it again and I told him that it was no

use; he could not see why, nor could I ; but, for a jest, I said to

him—“ Can you wonder that the mice fight shy of the trap with

that terrible picture staring them in the face?” I don’t know

whether he thought there was anything in it, but he tore off the

illustration, set the trap, and that night a young and foolish mouse

was drowned, but that was the last for weeks; then he set it

again and caught three in one night, but since then it is rarely of

any use.


Of course the quickest way to demolish mice is to pour water

down their holes and knock them over as they rush out, only they

make so many holes and most of these are unoccupied and the

water makes such a mess ; besides it is not exactly pleasant work

to knock over the little wretches with a thick stick, though it is

perhaps as merciful a death as any other when it has to be done, I



