Ott THE GRUB OF THE COCK-CHAFFR. 75 



grounds), T found moles feveral mornings, that had worked 

 tlirough and fallen into the trenches, frozen to death. • 



Their fummer emerfion is proved by the birds of prey : Birds of prey de- 

 they deftroy great numbers of moles. This year there were h^wVte"^" 

 taken out of one kite's neft twenty-two moles, and out of an- ground, 

 other fifteen, fome of which were putrid; betides many frogs 

 and unfledged birds. 



The rapacity of the kites (hews that they are definitive 

 enemies to the moles, which, if moles are ferviceable to man, 

 mould be known, that he may (lay his arm. 



Moles are frequently found dead upon the grafs in fummer, 

 with marks of having been bitten, as if to fuck their blood, 

 but with no part of their bodies confumed. This, I fuppofe, 

 is done by weafels ; and the following (not very common) 

 occurrence, which happened in the fummer of 1739, tends to 

 prove it : — 



A kite was obferved riiing from the ground with fome prey, Incident of a 



and inftead of flying to an adjoining wood, he foared almon^ 6 deftr 7 e< J 



J ° r . . . n . by a weazel, &c, 



perpendicularly. After remaining a lhort time ftationary, he 



came gradually down, with his wings extended and motion- 



lefs, and dropt very near the place from which he had rifen *. 



Several perfons who were near, and faw the flight and de- 

 fcent, ran immediately to the fpot, and a weafel darted from 

 the kite, which they found dead ; and they difcovered, on 

 examination, "that the kite had been bit in the throat, and bled 

 to death. Near it they found a dead mole, yet warm, which 

 was bitten in the neck ; and they concluded that the weafel 

 had caufed the death of both. 



In feveral parts of the kingdom where I have met with a Brmvn testes 

 great number of brown beetles, moles were regularly de- ar £ abu " d ;mt 

 ftroyed ; and in StafTordfhire, being mown feveral large trees are deftroyed. 

 covered by beetles, and totally defoliated, I enquired whether 

 they deftroyed the moles ? The anfwer was, that they did, or 

 they fhould be over-run with them. 



The lofs of foliage not being of great confequence to the Other remarks, 

 farmer, he is fatisfied that his turkeys make him amends in 

 other refpects, by e'ating the brown beetles, of which they are 

 very fond, and which they fwallow voraei©ufly. 



* A fimilar circumftance was mentioned in the Chefter papers, 

 three or four years ago. 



A gen- 



