y understand
them. What can be more so than the present example, and yet it
is as sure in its effect, and _surer_ than those other varieties
of more complicated construction. One necessary element in a trap
of any kind is, that the bearings are slight and that they spring
easily. To obtain this requisite it is necessary to overcome friction
as much as possible, using only a small number of pieces, and having
as few joints and hinges only as are absolutely necessary. The present
variety possesses advantages on this account. It is constructed
somewhat on the principle of the ordinary steel trap, and also
resembles in other respects the one we have just described, although
much simpler. We give only a section drawing, as this will be
sufficient. The long side of a flat board of about eight by sixteen
inches is shown at (_a_); (_b_) indicates the loops of a bent wire,
to which the netting is attached, as in the trap just described,
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the loops being fastened to the board as in the other variety;
(_g_) consists of a small bit of wood an inch or so in length and
half an inch in width. It should be tacked on to the middle of
the one end of the board and project about a half inch above the
surface. To the top of this the spindle (_c_) should be attached
by a leather or staple hinge. The spindle should be of light pine,
five inches in length and a quarter of an inch square, bevelled;
on the under side of one end (_d_) is the catch or bait piece,
and should be whittled out of a shingle or pine stick of the shape
shown, the width being about a half an inch or less. One side should
be supplied with a slight notch for the reception of the spindle,
and the other should project out two or three inches, being covered
on the top with a little platform of pasteboard, tin, or thin wood
either glued or tacked in place. To attach this piece to the main
board, two small wire staples may be used, one being inserted into
the bottom end of the piece and the other being hooked through
it, and afterward tacked to the bottom of the trap, thus forming
a loop hinge. Another method is to make a hole through the lower
tip of the bait piece by the aid of a red-hot wire, as seen at
(_d_), afterwards inserting a pin and overlapping its ends with
two staples driven into the bottom board, as shown at (_e_). In
our last mentioned net trap the spring power consisted of rubber
elastic, and the same may be used in this case, if desired, but by
way of