Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/59

collect live mussel shells, you must wade, dive, or, if the water is clear enough for you to distinguish objects upon the bottom, fish for them, not with a hook and line, but with a long twig, from which all branches and leaves have been removed excepting a single bud on the end (Fig. 33). As soon as you detect a bivalve, you will discover its shells to be partially open.

Carefully insert the bud, that you have left upon the end of your stick, between the gaping lips of the shell, the instant

that the animal within feels the touch it will close its doors firmly, of course holding the switch between the shells. The bud at the end prevents the stick from slipping out, and the animal is caught by taking advantage of the very means it uses for protection.

A simple contrivance for catching small frogs, eels, and lizards, for the aquarium consists of an elder stick, with one end cut like a quill pen with the points spread apart, as shown in sketch (Fig. 34).

To use this you must approach a pond or brook very cautiously so as not to frighten your game. Through the clear water the little creatures can be seen resting quietly on the bottom. If you are careful not to make any disturbance or sudden movement you may get your elder lance poised over your lizard, newt, or frog, within an inch or so of its body, without disturbing him; then with a quick movement push the stick and animal both into the mud. On drawing out the stick you will find your captive squirming between the split ends of the