INGENIOUS TRAP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 36

INGENIOUS TRAP.

Dear Terror, — A gentleman in England on succeeding to a property, neglected for many years, found it infested with weasels and rabbits, and destitute of feathered game, but plenty of foxes — "Weasels prefer feather; foxes prefer fur." Weasels, stoats, and ferrets like poking about drains, roots of trees, where they are holes, for their natural food consists of rats, mice, and rabbite; but if they can gat a bird that roosts low or on the ground, they much prefer the bird, as being more easily caught, and possibly more tasty. Now, rats, mice, and rabbits prefer living in holes burrowed out by themselves, or else they like sheltering in drains, watercourses, etc., built by man; and these are all regularly drawn by weasels, etc. It is almost useless baiting a trap with meat or dead birds, but they can easily be caught by building drains or runs for them. This can be done simply and with very littlo expense, and this, the gentleman referred to above, did and quickly cleaned his ground. At all the comers of his paddocks lie cut six sods, each, about 9in long, four sods on edge about 4in apart and' side lay 6ide, so as to allow a rat trap to spring, and two eeds for a roof, and put the rat trap in the tunnel so" formed. No bait is required, as out of curiosity the weasel hunts through the tunneL A piece of board will do as j

a roof, and the longer the tunnel the J better. An improved plan a little more expensive is to utilise drain pipes. There are generally a few knocking about a farm ; if not, they are. cheap. Take two drain pipes and lay them in a ditch or corner of a field, or near a poultry shed, size about 4in in diameter, so that dogs, fowls, etc., cannot get through them. Lay them about 7in apart, end towards end, and then cut four 6in sods for the- tides, and cover with a board or another sodl This central part is for the rat trap, and by lifting the lid the trap can be »st in the cent-re. It isalways ussful to rub some soil or mud over the hands to remove the scent of the humand hand. A little earth thrown on top j of the board keeps it firm. A few of these

trap<3 set in suitable places will in a short tin?© account for many vermin. Th& width of the run c£ these tunnels should be from 3in bo 4in, so that small dogs, terriors, or fowls cannot get through them. If required for rabbits, etc., then the width should bo Sin to 6in, but then you may lose your pet "foxy." With compliments to "Terror" and thanks for his interesting: notes.— Yours truly, "Pabtridge." t