This book would not be complete without at least a few pages devoted to steel traps. While a few steel traps were in use prior to 1850, yet it has only been since that date that they have come into general use. During recent years they have become cheaper and trappers in all parts of America are using them in greater numbers. Professional trappers in the North, Northwest and Southwest often have out lines many miles long and use 200 to 350 steel traps of the various sizes. Each of the three main sets--land, water and snow are used in various ways and to describe all of these would require a book. Steel traps are made in various sizes from No. 0 to No. 6, to meet the requirements of trappers for the various animals. The best traps manufactured are the Newhouse made by the well-known trap manufacturers--Oneida Community, Ltd., Oneida, N. Y. A brief description of these follows: [Illustration: Newhouse No. 0 Trap] Spread of Jaws, 3 1/2 inches. This, the smallest trap made, is used mostly for catching the gopher, a little animal which is very troublesome to western farmers, and also rats and other vermin. It has a sharp grip and will hold larger game, but should not be overtaxed. [Illustration: Newhouse No. 1 Trap] Spread of Jaws, 4 inches. This Trap is used for catching muskrats and other small animals, and sold in greater numbers than any other size. Its use is well understood by professional trappers and it is the most serviceable size for catching skunks, weasels, rats and such other animals as visit poultry houses and barns. [Illustration: Newhouse No. 81 Trap] Spread of Jaws, 4 inches. Occasionally animals free themselves from traps by gnawing their legs off just below the trap jaws, where the flesh is numb from pressure. Various forms of traps have been experimented with to obviate this difficulty. The Webbed Jaws shown above have proved very successful in this respect. Noting the cross-section of the jaws, as illustrated at the left, it is plain the animal can only gnaw off its leg at a point quite a distance below the meeting edges. The flesh above the point of amputation and below the jaws will swell and make it impossible to pull the leg stump out of the trap. The No. 81 Trap corresponds in size with the regular No. 1 Newhouse. [Illustration: Newhouse No. 91 Trap] Spread of Jaws--91, 5 1/4 inches; 91 1/2, 6 1/4 inches. The double jaws take an easy and firm grip so high up on the muskrat that he can not twist out. A skunk cannot gnaw out either. These traps are especially good for muskrat, mink, skunk and raccoon. All parts of the No. 91 except the jaws are the same size as the regular No. 1 Newhouse, while the 91 1/2 corresponds to the regular No. 1 1/2. [Illustration: Newhouse No. 1 1/2 Trap]