WIRE MOUSE-TRAP. 103 



glance at the figure will explain the trap, even to those who 

 have never seen it. It is composed entirely of wire, and has 

 several round holes just above its lower edge. Each of these 

 holes is the entrance to a conical tunnel made of wires with 

 sharpened ends. 



The mouse, being attracted by a bait placed within the trap, 

 tries to get at it. The doomed animal soon finds its way to one 

 of the entrances, and with little difficulty pushes itself through 

 the tunnel. Entering, however, is one thing, and returning is 

 another. The wire yielded easily enough in one direction, but 

 for the mouse to force itself against the converging points is 

 an impossible task. 



Readers of the last century literature may perhaps re- 

 member, in the pages of " Peter Pindar," a very clever and 

 sarcastic account of the astonishment created in the mind of 

 George III. by a mouse-trap seen accidentally in the house of 

 a widow living at Salt Hill. 



" Eager did Solomon, so curious, clap 

 His rare round optics on the widow's trap, 

 That did the duty of a cat. 



And, always fond of useful information, 



Thus wisely spoke he with vociferation, — 

 « What's that ? what ? what ? Hae, hse ? what's that ? * 



To whom replied the mistress of the house, 

 1 A trap, an't please you, sir, to catch a mouse.' 



' Mouse — catch a mouse ! ' said Solomon with glee ; 

 'Let's see, let's see — 'tis comical — let's see — 

 Mouse ! mouse ! ' — then pleased his eyes began to roll — 

 ' Where, where doth he go in ? ' he marvelling cried. 

 ' There,' pointing to the hole, the dame replied. 

 « What ! here ? ' cried Solomon, ' this hole ? this hole ? ' 

 Then in he pushed his finger 'midst the wire, 

 That with such pains that finger did inspire, 

 He wished it out again with all his soul." 



For my part I think that the King was quite right. If he 

 did not know the philosophy of a mouse-trap he ought to have 

 asked, and to have been rewarded, as in that case, by catching 

 with a trap of his own baiting, six mice on six successive days. 



At Fig. B on the same illustration is shown the simple 

 apparatus by which crabs and lobsters are caught. The reader 

 will see that the principle is exactly the same in both cases, the 

 only difference being in material, the mouse-trap being made 

 of wire, and the crab -pot of wicker. 



At Fig. D is shown the common Eel-pot, or Eel-basket. In 

 order to suit the peculiar shape of an eel, this basket is much 



