trap near the entrance, and, fastening the bait in the angle, cover the trap loosely with leaves, and scent the bait as before with the anise.  The trap should be at such a distance from the bait that the animal, in order to reach it, will be obliged to tread upon the pan, which he will be sure to do, his greed overcoming his discretion.  Any arrangement whereby the animal will be obliged to tread upon the trap in order to reach the bait will be successful.

[Illustration]

The beaten track of the coons may often be discovered in soft ground, and a trap carefully concealed therein will soon secure its victim.  Another method is to set the trap near the coon tracks, spreading a few drops of anise on the pan and covering the whole with leaves.  The coon, attracted by the scent, will feel around in the leaves for [Page 175] the bait, and thus “put his foot in it.”

In the South they construct a coon trap from a hollow log, either having the ends supplied with lids, which fall just like the Rat trap page 100 as the animal passes through, or else constructed with nooses, similar to the Box-snare, page 56.  Box traps of a style similar to that described on page 103 are also excellent, and a strong twitch-up, of any of the various kinds we have described, will be found to work admirably.

Many of the suggestions in trapping the mink, page 190, will be found equally, serviceable in regard to the coon.

The skin of this animal should be removed as recommended for the fox, and similarly stretched.  It may also be skinned by first ripping up the belly, and spread on a hoop stretcher. page 275.

THE BADGER.

The American Badger is mostly confined to the Northwestern parts of the United States, and it is a curious little animal.  In size its body is slightly smaller than the fox.  Its general color is grey, approaching to black on the head and legs.  There is a white streak extending from the tip of the animal’s long nose over the top of the head and fading off near the shoulders.  The cheeks are also white, and a broad and definitely marked black line extends from the snout back around the eyes ending at the neck.  The grey of this animal is produced from the mixture of the varied tints of its fur, each hair presenting a succession of shades.  At the root it is of a deep grey; this fades into a tawny yellow, and is followed by a black, the hair being finally tipped with white.  The fur is much used in the manufacture of fine paint brushes, a good “Badger blender” being a most useful accessory in the painter’s art.  The badger is slow and clumsy in its actions, except when engaged in digging, his capacities in this direction being so great as to enable him to sink himself into the ground with marvellous rapidity.  The nest of the animal is made in the burrow, and the young are three or four in number.  His diet is as variable and extensive as that of the coon, and