Instructions for Banding Birds. 15 
placed within the chamber and it will be as much appreciated in 
winter as in summer. 
OPERATION OF TRAPS. 
In setting the Government sparrow trap, or any other of the cage 
variety designed for land birds, a place should be selected on open 
ground close to trees or shrubbery. A trap should not be set actually 
in a wooded area, but sufficiently close to be easily accessible to the 
birds that it is desired to attract. 
Protect the trap from cats, by erecting a guard fence. A piece of 
poultry wire 3 feet wide and 60 feet long will inclose an area ap- 
proximately 20 feet in diameter and will protect birds visiting the 
trap. An effective guard fence is shown in Figure 1. During the 
winter months small traps may be operated to advantage on feeding 
shelves. 
Scatter the bait thinly on the ground around the trap, more plenti- 
fully at the entrance and in the funnels, and abundantly inside the 
trap chambers. It is well to put crusts and larger pieces well inside 
the trap. In baiting the large house trap, the chamber should be 
liberally strewn with bread crumbs and seeds, and a trail of bait laid 
through the doors and vestibule. A little bait should then be scat- 
tered around the outer door as an appetizer. 
Visit any trap frequently. Once every three or four hours will 
suffice during the migration periods, but visits of greater frequency 
are necessary during the nesting period, especially when the young 
are being fed at the nest. Be particularly careful to visit all traps 
just before dark to see that no birds are confined over night. 
When a capture has been made with one of the small traps, the 
gathering cage is placed against the door of the trap and both doors 
are lowered. The birds are then driven into the cage, and the door 
is raised by means of the projecting bent axle. This is particularly 
convenient when several birds are trapped at once, but if the trap 
should contain both large and small birds, remove the larger ones 
first. Do not drive large and small birds together into the gathering 
cage, as the larger individuals are likely to injfire the smaller. 
or removing birds from the house trap, the short-handled net 
previously mentioned may be used. The nets used by fishermen as 
landing nets are excellent for this purpose, or a satisfactory one may 
be made by attaching a cheesecloth bag to a heavy wire frame. Force 
the birds quietly into a corner and slip the net over them without 
undue haste. Never attempt to capture a bird with the net as it flies 
across the trap. The chances of breaking a wing or otherwise injur- 
ing the bird are great, and this risk is entirely unnecessary. 
HANDLING CAPTURED BIRDS. 
In handling small birds, the utmost care must be exercised. It 
is of vital importance that they be so handled that they will be in 
perfect condition when liberated. Almost without exception, small 
birds are highly nervous, and a quick pressure by the operator fol- 
lowing some spasmodic struggle of the bird may kill it, or so seri- 
ously injure it as to make lalling necessary. Furthermore, it must 
