Practical Game-Preserving. 358 



possessed by the rat, and, moreover, the ease with 

 which it takes alarm at anything in the least strange or 

 unobserved by it before, but above all, the fear it betrays 

 of anything giving evidence of having been lately handled 

 by human beings. It is thus evident that not only is it 

 necessary to avoid leaving scent by handling traps, or from 

 their lying adjacent to anything unknown to the vermin; 

 but the scent of the hands, when setting the traps, 

 should be disguised as far as possible by repeatedly rub- 

 bing them in fresh, dry earth or sand. Oatmeal may 

 also be employed for this purpose, being very effective in 

 removing human scent. 



The trap most generally to be adopted is naturally the 

 Dorset vermin trap, or else the American pattern musk-rat 

 trap figured previously, as these two are applicable in nearly 

 all circumstances. The size need not be so much an impor- 

 tant consideration as the fact of its working well, this 

 comprising ease in " springing " and a firm but not sharp 

 snap. The best size for the former is 2 Jin., and of the 

 latter 3in. Light steel chains and iron stakes must be 

 used with them. 



Before commencing operations the gins should be 

 dipped for, say, ten seconds in boiling water, not 

 longer, a stick being employed to lift them out. This 

 operation removes any scent of oil or handling left upon 

 them, and they will, moreover, dry of their own accord 

 in a few seconds. Then, when all have been thus treated, 

 remove scent from the hands by means of some oatmeal 

 or dry earth, in order that a free use of one's fingers can 

 be made without spoiling the chances of success. The 

 several parts of each gin requiring it should now be lightly 

 gone over with a mixture of neatsfoot and aniseed oils, 

 and the traps be every one fastened open by binding wire 

 over the spring close to the jaws. One can then go round 



