132 M O L E; Class I. 



the furface of the ground. The mole is obferved 

 to be mod adive, and to cad up moll earth, im- 

 mediately before rain ; and in the winter before 

 a thaw; becaufe at thofe times the worms and in- 

 feds begin to be in motion, and approach the fur- 

 face : on the contrary, in very dry weather, this 

 animal fcldom or never forms any hillocks, as it 

 penetrates deep after its prey, which at fuch fea- 

 fons retires far into the ground. During fummer 

 they run in fearch of fna^ls and worms in the night 

 time among the grafs, which makes them the prey 

 of owls. The mole fhews great art in fkinning a 

 worm, which it always does before it eats it ; drip- 

 ping the fkin from end to end, and fqueezing out 

 all the contents of the body. 



Thefe animals do incredible damage in gardens, 

 and meadows ; by loofening the roots of plants, 

 flowers, grafs, corn, ^c, Mortimer fays, that the 

 roots of Palma chrifli and white hellebore, made 

 into a pafte, and laid in their holes, will dcftroy 

 them. They feem not to have many enemies among 

 other animals, except in Scotland, where (if we may 

 depend on Sir Robert Sibbald) there is a kind of 

 moufe, with a black back, that dedroys moles*. 

 We have been affured that moles are not found in 

 Ireland, 



* Sih. Hijf, Scot. Part iii. p. 12. I did not find it was 

 known at prcfent. 



Five 



