The running noose slipped the more easily because the wires were smooth; when twisted the strands checked the noose, the friction causing a slight sound.

The wire itself seemed nearly perfect; but still no rabbit was caught.
Various runs were tried in succession; the size of the loop, too, was now enlarged and now decreased; for once it seemed as if a rabbit's ears had struck it aside, and on another as if, the loop being too large or too low down, one of the fore feet had entered and drawn it.

Had it been the hind leg the noose would have held, because of the crook of the leg; but the fore foot came through, leaving the noose drawn up to a size not much larger than a finger-ring.

To decide the point accurately, a full-grown rabbit was shot, and Orion held it in a position as near as possible to that taken in running, while I adjusted the wire to fit exactly.

Still no success.
At last the secret was revealed by a hare.