160 TJTILITY OF THE MOLK. 



out at night, in search of slugs and insects, returning again in the morning. 

 Now both these borders were, at one time, so infested with wireworms, that 

 the crops were continually destroyed. Traps for the wireworms were set in 

 both the borders, and the results were, that, in the border where the Mole 

 resided only two wireworms were detected, while the other, on three exami- 

 nations, produced six thousand three hundred and sixty wireworms, the number 

 of traps being one hundred and six, and the average number of wireworms 

 at each trap twenty-one, and, at one taking alone, two thousand one hundred 

 and twenty. This fact is, of itself, sufficient to convince the most sceptical 

 individual of the utility of the Common Mole in gardens. Those who 

 are still inclined to act on the offensive side, after what we have advanced 

 in behalf of the utility of the Common Mole, should carefully read the following 

 beautiful lines: — 



"Distinguished much by reason, and still more 

 By our capacity of grace divine, 

 From creatures that exist but for our sake. 

 Which, having served us, perish, we are held 

 Accountable, and God, some future day. 

 Will reckon -with us roundly for the abuse 

 Of what lie deems no mean or trivial trust. 

 Superior as we are, they yet depend 

 Not more on human help than we on theirs." 



Having gained "a verdict for the defendant," we will now turn our attention 

 to some other points in the history and manners of the Mole. Perhaps it 

 would be difficult to name an aniinal, with the exception of the Hedgehog, 

 (Erinaceus Europoeus,^ that is the object of a more systematic and unrelenting 

 persecution than our present object; and, if we are to draw our conclusions 

 as to the policy of destroying this animal from the wisdom of the ancients 

 in deifying their greatest Mole-catcher of the day, to whom they erected a 

 temple in Q^olia, then we would say both their policy and wisdom were 

 much upon a par. Old Thomas Tusser, author of "The Five Hundred 

 Points of Good Husbandry," appears to have been an enemy to this useful 

 animal, when he says — 



"Get the Moule-catcher cunningly Moule for to kill, 

 And harrow and cast abroad every hill." 



Dr. Darwin, in Phytologia, hands down to us the celebrated Mole-catcher 

 of his day, one Francis Paget, of Elston, near Newark, who invented and 

 used traps similar to those now in use. Buffon appears also to have been an 

 adept at the trade, for he asserts that he caught one thousand three hundred 

 in one week. Velmont de Bomace recommended suffocating them in their 

 holes by means of sulphur. De Vaux calculated that one-eighth of the whole 

 produce of spring corn was devoured by this useful animal. Mr. Couch informs 

 us in "Mag: Nat: Hist:" vol. viii., that a Mole-catcher, in Cornwall, took 

 no less than one thousand two hundred in six winter months. Samuel Jackson, 

 the notorious Cheshire Mole -catcher, asserts that he has taken the lives of no 

 less than forty to fifty thousand of this innocent animal. But all must yield 



