PATENT BIRD TRAP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 9

PATENT BIRD TRAP.

A Dunedin firm of wire-workers gave an exhibition on the 10th in the yard of th-°ir premises, 42 Great King street/ of the working of the " Eclipse " patent bird trap. This trap, of which a considerable number have been disposed oi in Canterbury, is the invention oi a Tetnuka resident, and is simple in construction and equally simple to operate. Covering a space of 16ft by 9ft, or any other size desired, the trap, a close-mesh fishing-net, ' in Wo sections, is stretched tightly 'across the area in- ! tended to be enclosed, the ends being fas- : tened to the ground by wire staples. Four powerful steel lever springs— two on each ! 6ide — are fixed to small pieces of wood ! at each side, and as each lever is raised up and pressed firmly over so as to lie horizontally in an opposite direction it fits into a small wire notch, which is controlled by a small trigger to which a cord of any length may be attached. The reversing of the levere permits of the two sections of the net being rolled or gathered back towards their respective ends, leaving the encolsed space with no surroundings to arouse suspicion. The small rolls or coils of the folded net Are covered over with straw or grass or other similar material, and the springs, etc-, are treated in the same way. Liberal- supplies of grain, etc., are-then spread, ovjer the now vacant a-rea to be operated on, and the operator, from a house or shed or other concealed vantage point, with the end of the lengthy cord* attacjhed to the trigged at his command, chooses his opportunity" to give it a pull. The effect is instantaneous. The being thus released return the levers to their original positions with a sharp snap,and the birds are simultanously covered over with a tightened mesh and pinned down to the ground with no possibility of escape. As many as 250 birds have thus been taken at the setting in Canterbury, and! anyone watching the operation can readily understand how remote the chances of ■ escape are for any of the birds that may be feeding when the springs are released. To get a good haul it is necessary to feed the birds on the enclosed space for some I time beforehand. The Dunedin firm of -wire-workere before referred to are in negotiation with the owners to take over -the patent and all rights, and should they do so it is the intention to give exhibitions of the working of the trap in he various counties in the presence of county councillors, fas-mere, or others interested.