Part 6 (1/2)

THE TRAP CAGE.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Among bird-catchers generally, this is the favorite and most universal trap; and, where a _decoy_ bird is used, it is particularly successful.

The cage is arranged in two compartments, [Page 77]

one above the other,--the lower one being occupied by the call-birds.

The making of the cage requires considerable ingenuity and much patience; and, for the benefit of those who may desire to exercise that patient ingenuity, we will subjoin a few hints, which may help them along in their efforts. For an ordinary cage, the height should be about one foot, the broad sides the same, and the top and other two sides eight inches. First cut four corner uprights.

These should be three-quarters of an inch square, and one foot in length. Next cut a bottom board of pine, twelve inches by eight inches, and one inch in thickness. From each of its corners, cut a small cube of the wood, exactly three-quarters of an inch square, thus leaving four notches, which will exactly receive the ends of the uprights, as seen at (_a_). Before adjusting these pieces, the four sides of the boards should be pierced with small holes, as is also shown in the diagram (_a_). These may be punched with a brad-awl, and should be about half an inch apart, and three-eighths of an inch from the edge of the board. Each one of the uprights may then be secured in place by two long brads, one being hammered each way into each side of the notch. Next proceed to cut four more of the square sticks. Two of these should be one foot in length, and the remaining two eight inches. The corners of these should now be neatly bevelled off, so as to fit after the manner of a picture-frame. They should then be attached to [Page 78]

the upper ends of the uprights by a brad through the corner of each, as seen at (_b_), the dotted lines indicating the end of the upright beneath. These sticks should likewise be pierced with holes to correspond with those in the bottom board, and running up and down in the direction of the wires.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The middle tier of braces are next required. Two of these should be ten and a half inches in length, and the other two six and a-half, and the ends should be perfectly smooth. These should now be punched with holes corresponding with those above, after which they may be inserted between the uprights as seen in the engraving, and secured by a brad at each end.

The trap door is shown separate at (_c_). The side sticks should be eight inches in length, and one-half an inch square, and the top and bottom sticks five inches in length. They should be set in _between_ the side sticks, and the lower one should be secured about half an inch above the lower ends of the uprights, as seen in the ill.u.s.tration. The holes should be made in the side pieces, and the wire run across from side to side, as shown. Annealed iron, or copper wire is best for this purpose. The door should now be pivoted or hinged at the top of the cage, between the long sides, in such a position as that the top end shall rest on one of the narrow upper edges of the cage. A stiff wire should be used for the hinge, being pa.s.sed through the top pieces of the cage into the lower ends of the door pieces. The cage may now be wired throughout.

This is an easy matter, if the holes are properly made. About thirty yards of the wire will be required: iron wire is generally used.

It should be about the size of a hair-pin, and should work easily.

Commence by pa.s.sing it from the under side of the bottom board through one of the holes next to the corner. Pa.s.s the wire upward, through the centre braces, again upward through the top piece and across to the opposite broad side and corresponding hole. From this point it should pa.s.s downwards, through centre brace, and again through the bottom. Draw the wire tightly and pa.s.sing it upward through the hole next to it, bring it over the top of the cage and around again to the bottom edge from which it started.

Continue thus until the hinge of the door is reached; after which the wire should be pa.s.sed up and down on the same side and thus carried around the small end of the cage until it finally meets at the door hinge on the opposite side. The two halves of the cage should now be separated by a grating of wire, as seen in the main [Page 79]

ill.u.s.tration. This may be accomplished either by pa.s.sing the wire from side to side, around the base of each upright wire, or an additional horizontal row of holes below the others may be punched for the purpose. The door through which the call-bird is introduced should next be made in the bottom section. There are two ways of doing this: one method consists in sawing a hole three inches square in the bottom board of the cage; and a cover consisting of a piece of tin is made to slide beneath the heads of four tacks, two of which are placed on each side of the opening. This form of door is perhaps the simplest of the two. The other is shown separate at (_f_), together with its mode of attachment.

It consists of two side pieces of wood, about a third of an inch square, and three inches in length, and two shorter ones, two inches in length. These are arranged into a square framework by a board in each corner. Four holes are to be pierced in each side piece, at equal distances. Commencing at the top, the door should then be wired as directed for the cage. The lowest hole on each side should be left open for a separate piece of wire. The cage should now receive attention. The broad side is generally selected for the door. Find the seven centre wires and connect them across the middle by another horizontal bit of wire. This may be easily done with a pair of pincers, by compressing a loop at each end of the wire around the two which run perpendicularly at its ends. When this is performed the five intermediate wires should be cut off about a quarter of an inch below the horizontal wire, and the projecting tips looped back over the cross piece, and made fast by the pincers.

The lower parts of the upright wires may now be cut off close to the board. We will now take up the door. Pa.s.s a piece of wire through the holes at the bottom, clap the door over the opening, and loop the ends of the projecting wire loosely around the upright wires at each side. This will allow the door to slide easily up and down.

Another wire should now be interlaced downwards through the centre of the door, and bent into a ring at the top. Let the door rest on the bottom of the cage, and, while in this position, adjust the ring at the top around the central wire directly behind it.

The door is then complete, and, if properly made, will look neat and work easily.

The ”trap” at the top of the cage is next in order. To complete this it is first necessary to interweave a _stiff_ wire loop, as seen at (_d_). The loop should extend on the _inside_ of the lower piece of the door and about two inches below it. The [Page 80]

_spring_ power consists of a piece of stiff hoop-skirt wire, interwoven between the wires of the top of the cage, and those of the door, while the latter is shut. The force of this will be sufficient to bring down the door with a snap; and for further security a catch, such as is described in page (88), may be added if desired.

The spindle is next required. This is shown at (_g_), and consists of a small perch of wood seven inches in length, and notched at each end. In setting the trap, the door should be raised as seen in the main ill.u.s.tration. One of the notches in the spindle should now be caught beneath the loop and the other around one of the central wires in the end of the cage. The bait, consisting of a berry, bird-seed, or what-not, may be either fastened to the spindle or placed beneath on the wires. The call-bird having been introduced, the trap may now be left to itself. If the call-bird is well trained it will not be many minutes before the birds of the neighborhood will be attracted to the spot by its cries. Ere long one less cautious than the rest will be seen to perch upon the top of the cage. He soon discovers the bait, and alighting upon the perch, throws it asunder, and in an instant the trap door closes over its captive.

The cage is sometimes constructed double, having two compartments beneath for call-birds, and two traps above, in general resembling two of the single traps placed side by side. The decoy bird is not an absolute necessity to the success of the trap. Many birds are caught simply by the bait alone. The trap cage, when constructed on a larger scale, is often successfully employed in the capture of the owl. In this case it is baited with a live mouse or bird, and set during the evening in a conspicuous place. A trap working on this principle, being especially adapted to the capture of the owl, will be noticed hereafter.

THE SPRING NET TRAP.

Although slightly complicated in construction, our next ill.u.s.tration presents one of the prettiest bird traps on record, and may be made in the following manner, and by frequently referring to the picture, our explanation will be easily understood.

The first step is to make or procure a low flat box, about fifteen inches long, by ten inches in width, with a depth of about two inches. Next fasten an interior box, of the same [Page 81]

height, leaving a s.p.a.ce of about three-quarters of an inch between them all round. A platform should now be made. Let it be of such a size that it will just fit in the interior box, with a very slight s.p.a.ce all around its edge. It should then be pivoted in the upper part of this box by two small slender pins, one being driven through into its edge, at the centre of each end. Let it be sensitively poised. The next thing to be done, is to arrange the spindle and catch. The latter should consist of a tack or small bit of wood fastened on the middle of the platform, about an inch from one end, as seen both in the main ill.u.s.tration and in the diagram at (_b_).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The spindle should consist of a flat piece of wood, secured with a leather hinge to the edge of the outside box, directly opposite the catch. Let it be long enough to reach and barely hold itself beneath the catch. When thus in its position, two small plugs should next be driven into the edge of the inner box, one on each side of the spindle, thus holding it in place. A glance at our ill.u.s.tration makes this clear. The netting and ”hoop” are next in order. The hoop should consist of an iron wire of the diameter of common telegraph wire.

For a box of the size we have given, a length of about twenty-eight inches will be found to answer. Before making the hoop, however, its hinges should be ready for it. Two screw eyes, or staples of bent wire should be driven into the bottom of the box between the two walls, one in the exact middle of each side. The iron wire should now be bent so as to fit round and settle into the s.p.a.ce between the boxes, letting each end rest [Page 82]

over the screws in the bottom. It will be found that there will be enough surplus wire on each end to form into a loop with the pincers. These loops should be pa.s.sed through the screws or rings already inserted, and then pinched together; the hinge will thus be made, and will appear as at (_c_). If properly done, they should allow the hoop to pa.s.s freely from one end of the box to the other, and settle easily between the part.i.tions. If this hinge should prove too complicated for our young readers, they may resort to another method, which, although not so durable, will answer very well. In this case the wire will only need to reach to the exact middle of the long sides. No surplus being necessary, a length of twenty-six inches will be exactly right. On each end a short loop of tough Indian twine should be tied. By now fastening these loops to the bottom of the box with tacks, in the place of screws, it will form a hinge which will answer the purpose of the more complicated one.