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II. A curious Faff in the Natural Hiftory of the Common Mole, Talpa 

 europaea, Linn. By Arthur Bruce y Efq. Secretary to the Natural 

 Hifiory Society oflLdinburgh. 



Read June 2, 1793. 



THAT the mole does, in common with other quadrupeds and 

 man, poffefs that fpirit of curiofity which prompts to emi- 

 gration and even to tranfmarine expeditions, I found out laft fum- 

 mer from the beft authenticated facts. 



In vifiting the Loch of Clunie, which I often did, I obferved in 

 it a fmall ifland at the diftance of 180 yards from the neareft 

 land, meafured to be fo upon the ice. Upon the ifland, Lord 

 Airly, the proprietor, has a caftle and fmall fhrubbery. I ob- 

 ferved frequently the appearance of frefh mole-cafts, or hills. I 

 for fome time took it to be the water-moufe, and one day afked the 

 gardener if it was fo ? No, he faid, it was the mole ; and that he 

 had caught one or two lately. But that five or fix years ago he 

 had caught two in traps ; and for two years after this he had ob- 

 ferved none. But about four years ago, coming alhore in a fummer's 

 evening in the dufk, the 4th or 5th of June, 10 o'clock P. M. he 

 and another refpectable perfon, Lord Airly's butler, faw at a fmall 

 diftance upon the fmooth water fome animal paddling to, and not 

 far diftant from the ifland. They foon, too foon ! clofed with this 

 feeble paflenger, and found it to be our common mole, led by a moft 

 3 aftonifhing 



