213 



UTILITY OF THE COMMON MOLE, (TALPA VULGARIS) 



BY J. MC' INTOSH, ESQ. 

 {Continued from page 161, Vol. iv.) 



The life of the Mole is passed in such a glootny region, separated from 

 the light of heaven, and is regarded with such scorn by the illustrious(!) 

 bipeds as cultivators of the soil, that those unacquainted with its habits 

 and manners, look upon them as noxious vermin that ought to be extir- 

 pated the kingdom! That such is riot the case, we have, we hope, iri 

 our previous papers on its utility fully shewn, that they are really the farmers' 

 and gardeners' best friends. We need not say that the Mole is a miner, 

 existing almost exclusively in darkness, arid working its way through 

 crumbling earth; large eyes and powerful vision would not only have been 

 unnecessary, but absolutely annoying. The eyes of the Mole are, there- 

 fore, the least developed of any of its organs. They are very small, 

 about the size of a pin's head, perfectly formed, and black, and so care- 

 fully protected by the surrounding fur as to have given rise to an idea' 

 which is still by many entertained, that this useful and wonderful animal 

 is blind. That this idea, which is a very ancient as well as a modern 

 one, is erroneous, may be clearly proved by an examination of the animal 

 itself. The eye of the Mole, by a beautiful arrangement of muscles, can 

 be protruded or withdrawn at the will of the animal, and thus it can 

 accommodate itself either in its ordinary subterranean excursions, or to its 

 nightly rambles above ground, in changing its quarters, and in search 

 of food, as slugs, etc. 



The sense of hearing is exquisite, and to it the animal trusts for 

 warning on the approach of danger. Shakspere, though in error as to 

 the blindness of the Mole, seems to have been aware of its acriteness 

 of hearing, when he says: — 



"Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not 

 Hear a foot fall." 



An external ear to the Mole would have been an appendage continually 

 liable to injury from the intrusion of particles of earth, etc. In accordance 

 therefore, with the peculiar situation of the Mole, it has no external ear,- 

 nevertheless, as hearing is essential to its safety, the internal mechanism 

 if the ear is very perfect, and its sense of hearing is remarkably acute. 

 This accounts for the disappointments of persons, who, when seeing Moles 

 throw up the soil, endeavour to get near them, in order to throw therri 

 lp with the spade, but to their great surprise, when they are advanced 

 lear enough to strike the fatal blow, the Mole is gone. The external 

 opening of the ear, which is a simple orifrc e_, is,- in a similar manner to 

 vox. VII. 



