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Page iv BOOK II.
SNARES OR NOOSE TRAPS.
General Remarks.--Requisite Materials for Snaring.--THE QUAIL SNARE.--"Sucker Wire" Nooses.--Six Quail caught at a time.--HOOP NOOSES.--HORSE HAIR NOOSES.--HEDGE NOOSES.--Peculiarities of the Grouse.--Selection of Ground.--THE TRIANGLE TREE SNARE.--A Hawk captured by the device.--The Wire Noose, as arranged for the capture of the Woodchuck, Muskrat, and House Rat.--THE TWITCH-UP.--Selection of Ground for Setting.--Various Modes of Constructing the Traps.--THE POACHERS' SNARE.--Its portability.--THE PORTABLE SNARE.--Its Peculiar Advantages.--The "Simplest" Snare.--The valuable principle on which it is Constructed.--Its Portability.--Various Adaptations of the Principle.--THE QUAIL SNARE.--Its ample capabilities of Capture.--Peculiarities of the Quail.--Successful Baits.--THE BOX SNARE.--Modification in a very small scale.--THE DOUBLE BOX SNARE.--The Animals for which it is Adapted.--GROUND SNARES.-- THE OLD-FASHIONED SPINGLE.--THE IMPROVED SPINGLE.--Objections to Ground Snares.--THE FIGURE FOUR GROUND SNARE.--THE PLATFORM SNARE.
BOOK III.
TRAPS FOR FEATHERED GAME.
THE SIEVE TRAP.--THE BRICK TRAP.--THE COOP TRAP--Improved Method of Setting.--Defects of the old style.-- THE BAT FOWLING NET.--Its Use in England.--How the Dark Lantern is Used by Bird Catchers.--THE CLAP NET.--Its Extensive Use in Foreign Countries.--Decoy Birds.--The "Bird Whistle" used in place of decoy.--Wonderful Skill attained in
the Use of the Bird Whistle.--Selection of Trapping Ground.--THE BIRD WHISTLE Described.--Its Use and Marvelous Capabilities.--THE WILD GOOSE TRAP.--Its Extensive Use in the Northern Cold Regions for the Capture of the Goose and Ptarmigan.--Tame Goose Used as Decoys.--Gravel as Bait.--THE TRAP CAGE.--A Favorite Trap among Bird Catchers.--Call Birds.--THE SPRING NET TRAP.--Rubber Elastic as Spring Power.--A SIMPLER NET TRAP.--Common Faults in many Bird Traps.--Complicated Construction as Unnecessary Feature.--Requisites of a good Bird Trap.--Hints on Simple Mechanism.-- Different Modes of Constructing Hinge.--Hoop Iron Used as Spring Power.--Manner of Tempering Spring.--THE UPRIGHT NET TRAP.--A Second Method of Constructing Platform.--THE BOX OWL TRAP.--Ventilation a Desirable Feature in all Box Traps.--Tin Catch for Securing Cover in Place.--Peculiar Mode of Baiting for Birds.--Modification of Perch.--Baiting for the Owl.--Locality for Setting.--The Owl in Captivity.--Its Food.--Hints on the Care of the Bird.--THE BOX BIRD TRAP.--Cigar Box Used as a Trap.--THE PENDANT BOX TRAP.--Ventilation.--Simple Mechanism.--Care in Construction of Bearings.-- THE HAWK TRAP.--A "Yankee" Invention.--Stiff-Pointed Wires Effectually Use in the Capture of the Hawk.--Owl also Captured by the Same Device.--THE WILD DUCK NET.--Its Use in Chesapeake Bay.--Manner of Constructing the Net.--Decoy Ducks.--Bait for the Ducks.--THE HOOK TRAP.--Its cruel Mode of Capture.--Peculiar Bait for Ducks.--THE "FOOL'S CAP" TRAP.--Its Successful Use in the Capture of the Crow.--Shrewdness of the Crow.--Strange antics of a Crow when Captured in
the Trap.--Bird Lime the Secret of its Success.--Wonderful Tenacity of the Cap.--Different Modes of Setting.--BIRD LIME Described.--Its astonishing "Sticky" Qualities.--The Bird Lime of the Trade.--Various "Home-Made" Recipes.--Manner of Using Bird Lime.--Limed Twigs.--The Owl Used as a Decoy in connection with Bird Lime.--Bird Lime used in the Capture of the Humming Bird.--A Flower Converted into a Trap.--Masticated Wheat as Bird Lime.--Its Ready Removal from the Feathers.--Delicate Organization of the Humming Bird.--Killed by Fright.--Use of its Plumage.--Snares for the Humming Bird.--Blow Guns Successfully Used for its Capture.--Killed by Concussion.--Disabled by a Stream of Water.
Page v BOOK IV. MISCELLANEOUS TRAPS.
THE COMMON BOX TRAP.--Two Modes of Setting.--Animals for which it is Adapted.--A Modification of the Trap.--ANOTHER BOX TRAP.--THE FIGURE FOUR TRAP.--Its Advantages.--THE DOUBLE ENDER.--A Favorite Trap in New England.--Simplicity of Construction.--The Rabbit's Fondness for Salt.--Its Use as a Bait.--THE SELF SETTING TRAP.--Animals for which it is adapted.--THE DEAD FALL.--Various Methods of Construction.--Animals for which it is usually Set.-- Remarkable Cunning of some Animals.--The Precautions which it Necessitates.--Bait for the Muskrat.--Various Baits for the Mink.--Skunk Baits.--A Fox Entrapped by a Dead Fall.--Slight Modification in the Arrangement of Pieces.--Live Duck used as Bait.--Another Arrangement for the Dead Fall.--Trap Sprung by the Foot of the Animal.--THE FIGURE FOUR TRAP.--Applied to the Dead Fall.--THE GAROTTE.--Its Singular Mode of Capture.--Its Common Victims.--THE BOW TRAP.--An oddity of the Trap Kind.--Its Singular mechanism.--THE MOLE TRAP.--A Much-needed Contrivance.--Subterranean Mode of Setting.--Its Unfailing Success.--A FISH TRAP.--A Section of Stove Pipe used as a Trap.--Its Various Victims.--Adjustment of the Bait.--Curious Mode of Capture.
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BOOK V. HOUSEHOLD TRAPS.
A Chapter Dedicated to Pestered Housekeepers.--The Domestic Cat as a Household Trap.--The Rat.--Its Proverbial Shrewdness and Cunning.--THE BARREL TRAP.--Its unlimited Capabilities of Capture--Other Advantages.--"Baiting" for Rats.--A Second Form of Barrel Trap.--Various other Devices adapted to the capture of the Rat.--The Steel Trap.--Hints on Setting.--Necessary Precautions.--THE BOX DEAD FALL.--THE BOARD FLAP.--THE BOX PIT FALL.--Animals for which it may be set.--Its Extensive Capabilities of Capture.--Its Self-Setting Qualities.--The principle Utilized for the Capture of the Muskrat.--THE CAGE TRAP.--THE JAR TRAP.--A Preserve Jar Converted into a Mouse Trap.--Its Complete Success.--BOWL TRAPS.--Two Methods.--FLY PAPER.--Recipe for Making.--FLY TRAP.
BOOK VI.
STEEL TRAPS AND THE ART OF TRAPPING.
General Remarks.--Advantages of the Steel Trap.--Its extensive use in the business of Trapping.--Hints on the Selection of Traps.--REQUISITES OF A GOOD STEEL TRAP.--The Newhouse Trap.--Various sizes.--Rat Trap.--Muskrat Trap.--Mink Trap.--Fox Trap.--Otter Trap.--Beaver Trap.--"Great Bear Tamer."--Small Bear Trap.--HINTS ON BAITING THE STEEL TRAP.--The Staked Pen.--Old Method of Baiting.--Its Objections.--Advantages of the New Method.--THE SPRING POLE.-- Its Service to the Trapper.--THE SLIDING POLE.--Advantages of its Use in the Capture of Aquatic Animals.--THE CLOG.-- Objections against Securing the Steel Trap to a Stake.--Method of Attaching the Clog.--THE GRAPPLING IRON.--THE SEASON FOR TRAPPING.--Best condition for Furs.--THE ART OF TRAPPING.--Antiquity of the Sport.--Necessary Qualifications for Successful Trapping.--The Study of Natural History a source of pleasure and profit.--The Professional Trapper's most serious Page vi Obstacles.--Marvellous Cunning of many Animals.--Necessity of the Study of their Habits.--"Practical Natural History."--Trapping Without Bait.--Runways or By-paths.--How Utilized by the Trapper.--How Detected.--Favorable Localities for the Setting of the Steel Trap.--Natural Advantages.--Entrapping animals through their Sense of Smell.--Remarkable Power of Scent Baits.--Their great value in the Capture of the Beaver.--Caution in Handling the Steel Trap.--Effect of the Touch of the Hand.--Buckskin Gloves a Necessary Requisite.--MEDICINES, OR SCENT BAITS.--Their Great Importance in the Art
of Trapping.--CASTOREUM OR BARKSTONE.--How Obtained.--Castoreum Composition.--Recipe for Making.--How Used.--MUSK--ASSAFOETIDA.--OIL OF RHODIUM.--FISH OIL.--Its General Use in the Capture of Aquatic Animals.-- Valuable Recipe for its Manufacture.--OIL OF SKUNK.--How Obtained.--How Eradicated from Hands or Clothing.--OIL OF AMBER.--OIL OF AMBERGRIS.--OIL OF ANISE.--Its General Use as a "Universal Medicine."--SWEET FENNEL.--CUM-MIN--FENUGREEK-- LAVENDER--COMPOUND MEDICINE--THE TRAIL--Its Object and Value.--Various Modes of Making.--HOW TO TRAP.--General Remarks.--THE FOX.--Its Scientific Classification.--The Various American Species.--The Red Fox.--The Cross Fox.--Why so Named.--The Black or Silver Fox.--The Great Value of its Fur.--The Prairie Fox.--The Kit or Swift Fox.--The Gray Fox.--Similarity in the General Characteristics of the Various Species.--Food of the Fox.--Its Home.-- Its consummate Craft.--Instances of its Cunning.--Baffling the Hounds.--How to Trap the Fox.--Preparation of the Trap.--Ad-verse Effect of Human Scent.--Necessity of handling Trap with Gloves.--The "Bed."--"Baiting" the Bed Necessary.--Precautions in Setting the Trap.--The "Tricks of the Trapper" Illustrated.--How to Proceed in case of Non-Success.--The Scent-Baits Utilized.--Various Modes of Setting the Trap.--The Baits Commonly Used.--The Dead Fall as a Means of Capture.--Common Mode of Skinning the Fox.--Directions for Stretching Skin.--THE WOLF.--The Various Species.--Fierce Characteristics of the Wolf.--Its Terrible Inroads among Herds and Flocks.--The Gray Wolf.--The Coyote or Common Prairie Wolf.--The Texan Wolf.--Home of the Wolf.--Number of Young.--Cunning of the Wolf.--Caution Required in Trapping.--How to Trap the Wolf.--Preparation of Trap.--Various Ways of Setting the