{Authors are responsible for nomenclature used.) 



'\ .v. , , ^ 



LI 



The Scottish Naturalist 



No. 70.] 1917 [October. 



SOME NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE 

 MOLE IN CAPTIVITY. 



By Frances Pitt. 



{Concluded.') 



Smell is the sense upon which moles depend to find a 

 living, yet in those I have kept it did not seem so acute as 

 I had expected. All my moles knew at once when worms 

 were at hand, but did not appear to know in which direction 

 to look for them, and generally rushed about for some 

 seconds before at last chancing upon them. Very possibly 

 the sense is affected by captivity, and in a natural state 

 they are no doubt sensitive to vibrations of the ground, 

 but in a cage they soon become indifferent to being shaken. 

 Mole No. 2, which was kept in the sitting-room, paid 

 no attention when the table was bumped, things thrown 

 down on it, or his cage was pushed to one side. He 

 would sleep peacefully through it all, or go on with his 

 meal in seeming indifference. No. 4 was at first terrified 

 when her box was shaken, but at the end of three days had 

 learnt that it only meant worms, and would come to the 

 side at once for them, scratching at the glass, and trying 

 to get up it. 



70 2 c 



