Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12

ter, and there on the bottom Of the basin.
which could see through the clear water
as plainly as through SO much air. a big
turtle had the duck partly under it and was
trying to tear it with his beak. But the
little bird was game-it takes some time 10
drown a duck, you know-and struggled 50
that the big brute could not get good hold
on it. I got Immediately over them and
reached my oar down with the intention Of
cracking his skull for him, but he was too
quick for me, and swan away, letting the
little duck come to the top of the water. It
made bee line for the top of the bank and
after scrambling out dropped on to the
grass, where it lay crying and painting for
little while, but the next day it was SWIM
ming around with its mother same as ever.
"At first thought it might be muskrat
that had pulled it under; they do that some
times, and so do bullfrogs, yes, sir; bull
frogs. There has been many and many a
little duck drowned and eaten By bullfrogs
when the people who owned it have put its
loss down to the account of dogs or mis-
ehievous boys.
But all this amt business. have two
muskrat traps and snake trap to set yet;
II you want to go along and see how it is
done, jump in"
THE TRAPS SET.
Inc muskrat traps were the common
steel, toothed-jawed instruments. size No. 1.
with few feet of iron chain attached. and
after pulling to a clump of pawpaw bushes
which hung over the water, the bankkeeper
proceeded to set the first one. A muskrat
hole led into the bank little under the
surface Of the water, and it was easy for the
most careless eye to see that such a hole in
an unprotected bernie bank Of canal would
soon form crevasse through which the
canal would empty itself in time. if left to
Its natural course. After making the chain
fast to the pawpaws the trap was set, with
out bait, in the mouth Of the hole, in a way
that in coming into his domieile the rat
must necessarily step upon the plate which
springs the trap and be caught by the leg.
A frog formed the bait for the snake tran.
which was a common rat trap OF the variety
with funnel-shRped entrance ofeonVerging
wires. 1t was fastened among the long
grasses on the edge Of the water, and a
prowling snake would have no difficulty in
making its entrance far enough into the trap
to eaten the frog; but when the reptile at
tempted to back out, it would find that the
wires would close around it. A fat board
AdAu bnc grass near The water Is much
simpler device to serve the same purpose.
With the instinct of all wild creatures to
hide themselves, the snakes seek the boards
for shelter, which prove in these cases treach-
erous houses Of refuge, as it is only neces-
sary to turn the plank over to discover the
looked-for reptile.
But there is no use talking" the bank
keeper remarked, as he lighted his pipe and
sat back in the stern, while the boat drifted
with the wind, ''there is no use talking,
crawhshes give me more work than anv-
thing else-hard work with the spade, fill
ing up the caves which have occurred on the
towpath when the ground beneath is honey-
combed with their holes. The muskrat
hardly ever burrows under the towpath; he
keeps himself to the quieter bernie bank.
and generally know where to
look for him; but the crawfsh
is everywhere. The lead mule
ahead OF the Mary Jane, that went down
yesterday morning, broke through to his
knees in place that looked as solid as the
hills; but when came to dig theEe and fill
in, found that the bank was riddIed with
holes, and it took two cart loads of gravel to
make it solid again. You hear some talk
sometimes about catching craw6shes with a
line and bait; but that is all CUFF The only
way that 1 know to catch them is first to
find them, and then gently let down little
dip net Immediately behind them, and with
a stick touch the water in front of their
noses. They will go away backward quick
as wink plump into the net. H. A.,W.