THE MOLE IN CAPTIVITY 213 



at intervals of from two to three hours, but a mole I had 

 afterwards slept for three and four hours at a time. No 

 mole I have watched has appeared to be more active 

 or the reverse at night, but naturally the dark would 

 have no significance for an animal that must be practically 

 blind. I was anxious to find out if a mole's eyes are any 

 use to it (for these minute organs are perfect in structure), 

 but failed to secure any positive evidence one way or 

 the other. Mole No. 1 usually disappeared into the soil when 

 I went near her tub, and I thought it was because she 

 was alarmed when I leant over the edge and cut off the 

 light, but it may have been the vibration of my footsteps 

 which frightened her. Possibly moles do know the difference 

 between light and darkness, but I think it is doubtful if they 

 "see" anything in our sense of the word. 



{To be continued.) 



An enormous Bitch Otter. In my article in The Annals of 

 Scottish Natural History on "The Length and Weight of Otters" 

 (July 1909, pp. 134-9), I gave the average weight for a bitch otter as 

 from 14 to 16^ lbs. Bell in his British Quadrupeds gave the 

 weight of the bitch otter as from 16 to 20 lbs., Daniel in his 

 Rural Sports, 13 to 22 lbs., whilst the heaviest bitch mentioned 

 in Millais' British Mammals is 16 lbs. 



In The Annals of Scottish Natural History for March 1910, in 

 some additions, I mentioned a bitch killed by the Crovvhurst Otter 

 Hounds in September 1908, which weighed 22 lbs., with a total 

 length of 45! ins., this being the largest bitch otter on record! 

 (Since writing, I have another record of a 22-pounder bitch.) 

 I can now record a bitch which puts the two last-mentioned records 

 altogether into the shade. In March 1913 a bitch was trapped near 

 Levens Hall, Westmorland, which weighed the enormous weight of 

 27-I lbs., with a total length from tip of mask to point of rudder of 

 54 ins. She was, moreover, weighed with a dry jacket and was not 

 in cub, but apparently a barren specimen. There is no doubt as to 

 the sex, although her length and weight were those of a very large 

 dog otter. H. W. Robinson, Lancaster. 



