THE MOLE IN CAPTIVITY 211 



appeared to have been the result of the long-continued 

 accumulation of indigestible bits swallowed when eating 

 worms. 



When mole No. 2 was engaged in demolishing a worm he 

 was oblivious to everything else. More than once I lifted 

 him up by his tail, when he went on eating just the same, 

 though the slightest touch when he was not so engaged would 

 have made him spin round. If I dangled a worm in front of 

 him, he would pull and tug at it, hanging on with a bull-dog 

 grip, so that if the worm was strong enough he could be 

 lifted in the air. In dealing with his prey he behaved very 

 like a shrew, grabbing the worm, dropping it, and then biting 

 it from end to end so as to kill it. Though I never saw him 

 shake a worm, he always reminded me of a terrier with a 

 rat. Having quieted his victim, he sometimes began to eat 

 it at once, holding it down with his paws, and chewing from 

 one end, dragging it bit by bit between his hands until all 

 was eaten ; but more often he left it, rushed to a corner of the 

 cage, dug a shallow hole, ran back, picked up the worm, and 

 carried it to the spot. He would remain with his head and 

 shoulders hidden for some seconds, and then come back for 

 another worm. Sometimes, when satisfied, he may have 

 buried superfluous worms, but I feel sure that as a rule he 

 merely took his prey to the hole to keep it from wriggling 

 about and soiling his beautifully kept fur, for I have seen 

 other moles behave in exactly the same way even when very 

 hungry. That this mole did not like a worm to squirm over 

 him was obvious, and he would drop one hastily that did so. 

 I never saw him lick his fur, but he was constantly scratching 

 it with his hind feet. They were also used to comb dirt off 

 the forepaws. 



It is sometimes said that moles are very thirsty animals, 

 and never found far from water, but my captives have 

 shown no desire to drink. No. 2 did dip his nose several 

 times into the water tin, but on each occasion went off 

 sneezing and snorting as if he did not like it. I believe 

 the association of moles with damp land is really due to 

 the greater numbers of worms that are to be found in such 

 spots. 



