When, in Victorian England, Colin Pullinger invented his 'Perpetual' mousetrap he wasn't kidding! Now, some 155 years later, an example of his invention is on display at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) and still living up to its name. Museum staff were suprised to find an unfortunate mouse in his trap - despite it being an exhibit, behind glass, in a cabinet.
It is even more surprising that the mouse decided to look for a nesting site in the most inappropriate of places - it had thousands of other cosy exhibits to choose from. Pullinger himslef would have been both proud and saddened. He would stress how humane the trap was as it was designed to be emptied of mice without killing them. In this instance the mouse was just over-curious - the trap wasn't even baited - and, being behind glass, was not regularly inspected for victims!
For more on Pullinger's Mousetrap read Adam Hart-Davis's 'Local Heroes' article: Colin Pullinger and his Perpetual Mousetrap
The Museum of Rural England Blog
