10 



RECREATION. 



ing traps Labide cautioned mc to approach 

 only near enough to the bank to satisfy 

 myself as to the result. One colony was 

 so far away that we decided to trap it 

 later. We caught 3 on the new pond 

 the first night; the traps on the other 

 ponds were undisturbed. Two of the 

 beavers were large. I estimated their weight 

 at 20 pounds each. The large ones were 

 alive and lest they should tear off a foot 

 and escape Labide shot them. 



We caught 7 large and 4 small beavers 

 in the 3 ponds. Then the remainder left 

 the vicinity in spite of our precaution. 

 During the next 3 days none of the traps 

 were sprung, so we pulled them up and 

 made for the farther dam, hoping we 

 should find the fugitives or some of them 

 added to its colony. We were doomed to 

 disappointment ; an Indian occupied the 

 ground and had already caught 7. Pine 

 martens were numerous, however, and we 

 turned our attention to them. By placing 

 bait in the bottom of hollow trees and other 

 conspicuous places we caught 21 in a week. 



My last trapping of beavers occurred in 

 the fall of '89, near Manistique lake. I 

 found an occupied dam on spring water 

 that was still open. I succeeded in catch- 

 ing 2 before the rest left just before the 

 pond froze over. I hunted over the same 

 territory the following autumn, but that 

 time was not prepared for trapping. An 

 old trapper held the ground and was trap- 

 ping beavers on 2 dams. In one week he 

 caught 9, of all sizes, and eventually trapped 

 14. In consideration of courtesies received 



he imparted additional secrets of beaver 

 trapping. 



He said that in fall, beavers may be more 

 readily caught by the use of a mixture of 

 oil of rosemary, one part ; anise oil, 2 

 parts, which must be kept tightly bottled. 

 A few drops are sprinkled on the bank just 

 above the trap or wherever fresh signs 

 may appear. Often this scent is placed on 

 a piece of rotten wood and laid just above 

 the trap. During the mating season, March 

 and April, beavers make a deposit of musk 

 at the different points of feeding or of 

 leaving the water ; also with each deposit 

 of excreta. This is done to enable the ani- 

 mals to track their companions. Trappers, 

 taking advantage of the habit, remove the 

 musk gland, or castor, as it is called. Suf- 

 ficient alcohol is taken in a bottle to cover 

 the castor, which, after being dissolved, is 

 used in the same manner as the anise mix- 

 ture. Trappers do not use any kind of 

 bait in trapping beavers except the odors 

 mentioned. 



Sometimes beavers are caught by lower- 

 ing a trap into the entrance of a burrow 

 deep under water. The trap is staked solid- 

 ly and brush is thrust in the bottom near 

 the burrow, so that when caught the ani- 

 mal may become entangled and drown. 

 Beavers should be skinned open and 

 stretched as nearly round as possible. The 

 tail, having no value, is left on the carcass. 



The capture cf beavers in Michigan is 

 prohibited for several years to come. Few 

 are to be found at present below the Straits 

 of Mackinac. 



O' WINTER NIGHTS. 



HILTON R. GREER. 



O' winter nights when all the world lies 



still 

 And ghostly moonbeams glimmer on the 



hill, 

 With pipe to comrade me, 'tis sweet to 



dream, 

 Wrapt in the ruddy firelight's fitful gleam, 

 And, dreaming, fare through old time ways 



at will. 



Ah ! how the heart swells and the dry eyes 



fill 

 With mists of memory that over spill, 



As back I turn, up Life's too rapid stream 

 O' winter nights. 



Then how the vibiant pulses throb and 



thrill 

 With vouth-keen ardor which nor age nor 



ill 

 Can lessen ; for again I seem 

 To hear the hoof beats of some smoking 



team 

 And catch the chime of sleigh bells, sweetly 



shrill, 



O' winter nights. 



