American Moles. 



17 



The basis of classification in determining these percentages was 

 the appearance of the leather side of the dried pelt — clear tan color 

 for the prime skins and spotted or blotched with bluish black for 

 those not prime. Moleskins are mainly thus graded by fur buyers, 

 although, of course, the value depends also on the size of the pelt 

 and the care wdth which it has been handled. Some skins are wholly 

 bluish black underneath and all unprime skins are more or less 

 thickened in the cutaneous tissue. Moleskins are considered market- 

 able, no matter at what season of the year they are taken, but clear, 

 prime pelts command the better prices. 



KINDS OF TRAPS. 



In Europe a great many moles are taken by means of homemade 

 snaring devices. The trappers there also make use of both w^ooden 

 and metal traps that are cheap and of simple construction, but none 

 of those that have been tried out give satisfaction in this country. 

 All types of mole traps in common use in America are made of metal 

 and depend for their operation on the same sort of tripping device— 

 a trigger pan designed to rest 

 on an obstruction produced in 

 the mole's runwa}^ when the 

 trap is set. 



The trap is sprung when tllO l- — a good strong garden trowel is tlie 



, „ ., , , . best tool to use in setting- mole traps. 



mole loUows its natural in- 

 stinct to reopen the run by burrowing through or upheaving the ob- 

 struction. This may be confidently counted upon, for the mole has no 

 more persistent habit than that of reopening and repairing its run- 

 ways when they have been obstructed by accident or design. All 

 efficient mole traps have been constructed with this habit in mind, 

 'llie entire mechanism of such traps is above ground or concealed in 

 the loose soil, no part being within the runway pro})er. It is useless 

 to try to catch moles with any sort of device exposed in the runwa}^, 

 for the mole almost invariably burrows under anything placed in 

 its path. 



The catching and killing mechanisms of American mole traps are 

 of three types: (1) choker loops, (2) gripping or scissor jaws, and 

 (3) impaling spikes. Several different makes of the impaling or 

 harpoon trap are on sale, particularly in the East and Middle West ; 

 in actual use, however, they are the least efficient of the three and 

 have the additional disadvantage of injuring the skins of moles that 

 are trapped for their fur. The other two types are illustrated in 

 figures 13 and 14. 



HOW TO SET TRAPS. 



An excellent tool for use in setting mole traps is a good, strong 

 garden trowel, such as is illustrated in figure 12. A spade or shovel 



