4. Miscellaneous Circular 18, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 
the “ Government ”* sparrow trap in a few hours, and at a small 
cost, or the job may be given to a tinner or sheet-metal worker. 
Galvanized hardware cloth of‘not to exceed 4-inch mesh is used. 
The essential parts of this trap (fig. 2) are: (1) A half funnel 
leading into (2) an antechamber that ends in (3) a complete funnel 
with outlet slightly elevated, opening into (4) a second chamber, 
and (5) a number of blunt wires that are attached to the outlets of 
the funnels and project into the respective chambers. These blunt 
wires should be about 3 inches long on the first funnel and about 2 
inches long on the second. 
_ The plans outlined in these pages are for a trap 36 inches long, 18 
inches wide, and 12 inches high, a good size for most work, as it is 
not cumbersome or heavy. A larger trap might be used to advantage 
at stations where conditions would not necessitate much moving. 
FUNNEL 
TOP 
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Fic. 3.—Diagram for cutting galvanized hardware cloth 72 by 48 inches for trap measur- 
ing 36 by 18 by 12 inches, outlined in Figure 2. 
To construct this trap, two rectangular wire frames 36 by 12 inches 
are first bent into shape from No. 8 or No. 10 wire of moderate stiff- 
ness. This kind of wire is also used for the framework of the door in 
the second chamber, and to reinforce the netting around the doorway 
and the mouths of the funnels. It is well, though not necessary, to 
solder the joints to make the frame rigid. | 
To start construction, one of these wire frames is placed length- 
wise (see fig. 3) on one corner of a strip of the hardware cloth 
measuring 42 by 48 inches, and is securely laced thereto with copper 
wire of about No. 20 size, such as is commonly sold on wooden 
spools. This makes one side. Before proceeding further a piece 
of netting, 18 inches by 12 inches, is snipped out of the middle of 
that part of the netting projecting beyond the frame. This piece is 
* Specifications for the so-called ‘Government’ sparrow trap were first published in 
Farmers’ Bulletin 493, issued April 20, 1912. 
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