22 PEACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



horseliair about Sin. in length; to tlie free end attach a little 

 piece of wood of 2in. in length, by the middle, cutting one end to 

 an obtuse point, flattened on the top and underneath. Just 

 underneath this little crosspiece attach two horsehair springes, 

 at right angles; next cut a little fork, or rather angle piece, 

 from a tree, one end of which is to be quite 4in. long (to drive 

 in the ground), the other end about ^in., measuring from 

 underneath. To set this trap, push the long wand into the 

 ground until about 3ft. of it is out ; then, at a distance of 2ft., 

 drive in the fork piece, until only ^in. clears the ground ; next 

 bend the wand down in the form of a bow, and bring the 

 pointed end of the crosspiece under the peg, or fork, planted in 

 the ground at the other end. Tlie free end is now a little 

 elevated, while the middle is held very lightly on the point of 





Fig. 2. — '• Springe," or Snare for Birds. 



the catch, and its opposite end rests lightly on the ground. 

 On the " ticklish " setting of this everything depends. IsText 

 place some blades of grass or light moss so as to hide the 

 fork piece at the back and sides, taking care that no small 

 sticks interfere with the proper working of the trap; strew 

 some suitable seed or bait on the grass or moss, and then 

 carefully place one horsehair noose in such a manner as to 

 trap a bird should it merely hop on the crosspiece, and the 

 other noose arrange so as to catch it by the neck should it 

 attempt to seize the bait or to pass. In either case it 

 dislodges the crosspiece, which instantly flies up, suspending 

 the bird by the neck or legs in one or both of the nooses. The 

 appearance of the set trap before the grass or moss is 

 arranged is as represented in Fig. 2, which I have drawn from 



