tered and drawn it. Had it been
the hind leg the noose would have held, because of the crook of the leg;
but the fore foot came through, leaving the noose drawn up to a size not
much larger than a finger-ring. To decide the point accurately, a
full-grown rabbit was shot, and Orion held it in a position as near as
possible to that taken in running, while I adjusted the wire to fit
exactly. Still no success.

At last the secret was revealed by a hare. One day, walking up the lane
with the gun, and peeping over into the ploughed field, I saw a hare
about sixty yards away. The distance was too great to risk a shot, or
rather it was preferable to wait for the chance of his coming nearer.
Stepping back gently behind the bushes, I watched him run to and fro,
gradually approaching in a zig-zag line that must carry him right across
in front. I was positive that he had not seen me, and felt sure of
bagging him; when suddenly--without any apparent cause--up went his
head, he glanced round, and was off like the wind.

Yet there had not been the faintest noise, and I could not understand
it, till all at once it occurred to me that it must be the scent. The
slight, scarcely perceptible, breeze blew in that direction: instantly
he crossed the current from me he detected it and fled. Afterwards I
noticed that in the dusky twilight, if the wind is behind him, a hare
will run straight at you as if about to deliberately charge your legs.
This incident by the ploughed field explained the failure of the wire.
Every other care had been taken, but we had forgotten to allow for the
extreme delicacy of a wild animal's sense of smell.

In walking to the spot selected for the snare it is best to avoid even
stepping on the run, and while setting it up to stand back as far as
convenient and lean forward. The grass that grows near must not be
touched by the hand, which seems to impart a very strong scent. The
stick that has been carried in the hand must not be allowed to fall
across the run: and be careful that your handkerchief does not drop out
of your pocket on or near it. If a bunch of grass grows very tall and
requires parting, part it with the end (not the handle) of your stick.

The same holds good with gins, especially if placed for a rat. Some
persons strew a little freshly plucked grass over the pan and teeth of
the trap, thinking to hide it; but it not only smells of the hand, but
withers up and turns brown, and acts as a warning to th