Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/254

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Traps and Trappings.

221

catch and peg, will drop under the weight of a very small bird. The catch loosened slips out from under the bender, and the spring flying suddenly back draws the slip-noose around the wing, legs, or neck of the unfortunate bird. Unless speedily released by the trapper the bird will strangle or beat itself to death against the ground, or any objects within reach. All snares should be watched if the birds are wanted alive.

Hen-Coop Trap.

This rustic trap is sometimes set with an ordinary figure four (Fig. 138) by the colored people down South, and with it they catch a great many wild ducks and other water fowl.

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Fig. 145.Hen-Coop.

The coop is made of sticks piled up after the manner of a log cabin (Fig. 145). To one of the bottom sticks a withe, made of a green wand,^[1] is attached; the other end is then brought over the top of the trap and attached to the bottom stick upon the opposite side. The withe is tightened by forcing sticks under it at the top of the coop. When all is taut the sticks keep their positions, and unless very roughly used

↑ Withes may be made of ozier, willow, alder, hazel, white birch, white cherry, or even cedar branches.
Cut a branch or sapling, and after trimming the small branches off, place the small end under one foot, grasp the large end with both hands, and by a revolving motion twist the wand until the fibres become loosened and the stick looks like a rope. Indeed it will be a vegetable rope, which, if well made, will bear considerable strain, and be not only serviceable in making traps, but answer for binding logs together for a raft. Remarkably good and strong swings can be made of withes of wood.

[1] Withes may be made of ozier, willow, alder, hazel, white birch, white cherry, or even cedar branches.
Cut a branch or sapling, and after trimming the small branches off, place the small end under one foot, grasp the large end with both hands, and by a revolving motion twist the wand until the fibres become loosened and the stick looks like a rope. Indeed it will be a vegetable rope, which, if well made, will bear considerable strain, and be not only serviceable in making traps, but answer for binding logs together for a raft. Remarkably good and strong swings can be made of withes of wood.

[1]