BEARING AND rBOTECTION. 70 



eio'htycu iuclit's long, and stick two oi- tlire-'e round each ncstj 

 abunt a foot from it. The smell of the oil «'ill ktH'p the I'nxes 

 from approaching-. 



In the vicinit^r (jf dwellings, there is no nioro dangerous 

 enemy to pheasants tlian the common ca,t. Capta.in Da.rwiu, 

 in his " (lanu! Presi'r\'er's Manual," wi'ites as fcjlhjws : — 

 " There is no species of vermin more destiaietive to game tlum 

 the di^mestie cat. People not a.ware ot lier predatory haljits 

 would never for a moment suppose that the lnjnsehold 

 favourite that appears to be do/.iug so innocent!}' by the fire 

 is most probably under the inlluence of fatigue caused Ijy a 

 hard night's luinting in the plantations. How dift'erent also 

 in her manner is a cat w'hen at home and when detected 

 prowling after the game. In tlie first (if the two cases she is 

 tame and accessilile to any little attentions; in the latter she 

 seems to know she is doing wr(Uig, ami scampers off home as 

 hard as she can go. Luckily there is no anima,l more easily 

 taken in a trap, if coiiimon care be used in setting. J.jo.x; 

 traps, however, "with dro]i doors open at both ends, are much 

 the most efficacious, as the victims, whether cats, <logs, rats, 

 and even foxes, walk into them without suspicion, and, treading 

 ou the platform in the middle, cause both limjrs to fall 

 siniultaueonsly, when the animal is secured unharmed, and 

 rnav either be liberated or shot into a sack and drowned. 



haying' poisoned meat is now illegal, and restrictions are 

 placed upon the sale of arsenic by statute; nevertheless I 

 would caution anyone against the use of that drug, the employ- 

 ment of which is attended with much cruelty, as with S(.ime 

 animals it is immediately rejected by vomiting, but not liefore 

 it has laid the foundation of a ^'ioleiit and paiuful lullamimition 

 of the stomach, from which the animal sulfers foi' weeks, lint 

 rarely dies. If it is absolutely neces.■^ar\- to use poison for 

 cats, a little carbonate of baryta, mixed up with the soft roe 

 of a red herring, is the most certain and speedy that can lie 

 emploved, bmt a good keeper should know how ti.i keep his 

 preserves cletir of vermin without the aid of poison. 



