341 Ground Vermin. 



implies, breaks the back of the animal. A very excellent 

 mode of varying this trap so as to be more adapted for 

 vermin-catching is, while making it twice as large, to 

 substitute for the hook upon which the bait is hung the 

 trigger arrangement of the High Elms trap. 



At Figs. 46 and 47 is given an illustration of the Dead- 

 Fall Trap, which is very useful for vermin like the stoat 

 and the weasel. It has, however, another recommenda- 

 tion, namely, that it is essentially a box trap, but kills its 

 capture outright. The trap or box should be 3ft. long, 



Figs. 46 and 47. The Dead-Fall Trap. 



nin. high, and 4in. wide (inside), the wood used being 

 deal, except for the treadle, for which oak is a necessity. 

 The treadle (a) is ift. long and fin. thick. It is really 

 a swing door upon the floor of the trap, and works upon 

 brass pins about the thickness of a quill, which are 

 driven into the treadle exactly at its centre. The holes 

 in the side of the trap in which these pins work should be 

 faced on the inside with a small brass plate having a 

 hole through it, the brass plate to act as bearing for the 

 pins. On to one of these a flat piece (b) of iron is 

 riveted, perfectly upright and immovable, c (Fig. 47) 

 should be of bell-spring about 6in. long, and pointed at 

 the lower end. It is screwed on to the side of the box 



