nd mice, it is one of the most efficacious
devices in existence. The construction of one of these traps is
quite a difficult operation, and we would hesitate before advising
our inventive reader to exercise his patience and ingenuity in the
manufacture of an article which can be bought for such a small
price, and which, after all, is only a mouse trap. If it were a
device for the capture of the _mink_ or _otter_, it might then be
well worth the trouble, and would be likely to repay the time and
labor expended upon it. We imagine that few would care to exercise
their skill over a trap of such complicated structure, while our
pages are filled with other simpler and equally effective examples.

For the benefit, however, of such as are of an inventive turn of
mind, we subjoin an illustration of the trap to serve as a guide.
The principle upon which it works is very simple. The bait is
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strewn inside the cage, and the rats or mice find their only access
to it through the hole at the top. The wires here converge at the
bottom, and are pointed at the ends. The passage downwards is an
easy matter, but to _escape_ through the same opening is impossible,
as the pointed ends of the wires effectually prevent the ascent.
It is a notable fact, however, that the efforts to escape through
this opening are very seldom made. The mode of entering seems to
be absolutely forgotten by the captive animals, and they rush
frantically about the cage, prying between all the wires in their
wild endeavors, never seeming to notice the central opening by which
they entered. This is easily explained by the fact that the open
grating admits the light from all sides, and the enclosed victims
are thus attracted to no one spot in particular, and naturally rush
to the extreme edges of the trap, in the hope of finding an exit.

If a thick cloth be placed over the cage, leaving the opening at
the top uncovered, the confined creatures are soon attracted by
the light, and lose no time in rushing towards it, where their
endeavors to ascend are effectually checked by the pointed wires.
Profiting by this experiment, the author once improvised a simple
trap on the same principle, which proved very effectual. We will
call it

THE JAR TRAP.

In place of the wire cage, a glass preserve-jar was substituted.
A few bits of cheese were then dropped inside, and the top of a
funnel inserted into the opening above. This completed the trap,
and it was set