Practical Game-Preserving. 314 



these traps must be of the best manufacture, and should 

 fulfil in every respect the description which follows. By 

 far the most important part of a vermin-gin is the spring ; 

 this should be strong, but, at the same time, excellently 

 tempered, so as to allow of its being pressed sufficiently 

 low down by the simple grasp of the hand without resort 

 having to be made to any large amount of force. It is 

 riveted on to the back piece that is the flat piece of iron 

 forming the base of the trap at about lin. from the end, 

 and bent over towards the jaws, which on one side are 

 enclosed in a loop at the end of the spring, that is rounded 

 on all sides so as to give the jaws a full and easy play. 

 These latter are always rounded on the outside, and are 

 toothed in the now usually adopted manner, the sides 

 being fitted so as to leave about one-sixteenth of an inch 

 space between the teeth when the trap is " drawn " or 

 sprung. It is important to give special attention to the 

 spring and jaws of each trap, and to be sure that the force 

 of the spring is not sufficient to cause the legs of a weasel 

 or a stoat to be cut right through, owing to the jaws being, 

 perhaps, too closely fitted for the strength of the spring. 



The catch of vermin-traps requires, as a matter of 

 course, to be of delicate adjustment, and should, conse- 

 quently, be very carefully made and fitted very neatly, so 

 that the step of such a light little animal as the weasel 

 may " spring " it as certainly as that of a rabbit. 



For the purpose of preventing the animal, when caught, 

 from hobbling away with the trap, each one is provided 

 with a suitably sized chain, consisting of about eight links, 

 and a swivel, terminated by a ring of about ijin. 

 diameter. These chains are in most traps well made, but 

 this cannot be said of all makes, and, being after the 

 trap the most important matter, it is necessary to prove 

 them before use. 



