333 Ground Vermin. 



an opposite direction from the other two. At the other 

 end of the piece a hole is bored by means of which the bait 

 is secured, a shows the manner of cutting the notches. 

 The second piece of wood, termed " the slanting stick " 

 (B), ought to be 6Jin. long, in. wide at the smaller end, 

 gradually increasing to lin. at the other. At this end cut 

 a notch about lin. from the extremity, varying the distance 

 more or less, according to the respective heaviness or light- 

 ness of the stone employed for dead weight. In order to 

 cut the slant upon the correct side, hold the piece of wood 

 with the notch underneath, and resting upon its point, and 



i"o"~ ~^^ mm 



c 

 Fig. 37. Parts of Figure-of-Four Trap. 



cut the slant on the right-hand side. The upright should 

 be 7m. long over all ; from the forked end to the notch 

 3in. The notch itself should be Jin. deep, and to cut it 

 neatly and correctly make a slit in the wood (at c) Jin. 

 deep ; then having placed the piece upon its edge, cut out 

 the notch on one side of the slit and the curve on the other. 

 The correct manner of cutting and the position of the 

 notches are best seen by reference to the illustration. 



The other essential in this trap is either a good thick 

 slate or a flat stone, about i8in. square (Fig. 38, D) ; or 

 if these be not obtainable, a board cover may be employed, 

 but this will obviously require weighting. Of course, 

 either of the former is infinitely to be preferred. 



