victim will
often outwit his most shrewd endeavors, much to his chagrin. The
sense of smell, so largely developed in many animals, becomes one
of the trappers most serious obstacles, and seems at times to amount
almost to positive _reason_, so perfectly do the creatures baffle
the most ingenious attempts of man in his efforts to capture them.
A little insight into the ways of these artful animals, however,
and a little experience with their odd tricks soon enables one
to cope with them successfully and overcome their whims. For the
benefit of the amateur who has not had the opportunity of studying
for himself, the peculiarities of the various game, the author
appends a comprehensive chapter on "Practical Natural History,"
in which will be found full accounts of the peculiar habits and
leading characteristics of all the various animals commonly sought
by the trapper, together with detailed directions for trapping
each variety, supplemented with a faithful portrait of the animal
in nearly every instance. A careful reading of the above mentioned
chapter will do much towards acquainting the novice with the ways
of the sly creatures, which he hopes to victimize, and will thus
prepare him to contend with them successfully.

In the art of trapping the bait is often entirely dispensed with,
the traps being set and carefully concealed in the _runways_ of
the various animals. These by-paths are easily detected by an
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experienced trapper, and are indicated either by footprints or
other evidences of the animal, together with the matted leaves and
broken twigs and grasses.

Natural channels, such as hollow logs or crevices between rocks
or fallen trees, offer excellent situations for steel traps, and a
good trapper is always on the _qui vive_ for such chance advantages,
thus often saving much of the time and labor which would otherwise
be spent in the building of artificial enclosures, etc.

The most effective baits used in the art of trapping are those
which are used to attract the animal through its sense of smell, as
distinct from that of its mere appetite for food. These baits are
known in the profession as "medicine," or scent baits and possess
the most remarkable power of attracting the various animals from
great distances, and leading them almost irresistibly to any desired
spot. Such is the barks tone or castoreum, of such value in the
capture of the beaver, and the oil of anise, so commonly used for
the trap