6 



inward to bring the bait into proper position to permit the fall to 

 strike the rat in the neck, as shown in the illustration (fig. 1). 



Other excellent baits for rats are oatmeal, toasted cheese, toasted 

 bread (buttered), and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. When seed, 

 grain, or meal is used with a guillotine trap, it may be placed on the 

 trigger plate, or the trigger wire may be bent outward and the bait 

 sprinkled under it. 



Wire cage traps (French) also are useful for catching rats, but in 

 the long run the kinds recommended above are much more effective. 

 While trapping, all other food should be removed and the trap bait 

 should be changed often. Eats are very suspicious, and baits and 

 traps should be handled as little as jDossible. Increased success may 



Fig, 1. — Method of baiting guillotine trai). 



be secured both in trapping and poisoning if the rats are fed for a 

 night or tAvo with the kinds of food to be used for bait. 



USE OF FERRETS AND DOGS. 



A ferret is useful for the purpose of driving rats out of burrows 

 and other hiding places so that dogs can capture them. An expe- 

 rienced person with dogs and ferrets trained to work together can 

 kill many rats when the}^ are numerous. But the amateur ferreter 

 is likely to be greatly disappointed. 



In the rice fields of the far East the natives build numerous piles 

 of brush and rice straw and leave them for several days until many 

 rats have taken shelter in them. A portable bamboo inclosure sev- 

 eral feet in height is then set up around each j^ile in succession and 



297 



