ZOOLOGY. 323 



ZOOLOGY. 



The economic status of the mole, H. Wilson {Pennsylvania Dept. 

 Ayr. Bui. 31,pp. 42, figs. 12). — The bulletin contains a study of the life 

 history, habits, etc., of the species of the mole family indigenous to 

 Pennsylvania (iScalops aquaticus, 8. breweri, and Condylura cristata), 

 the economic relation of this family of mammalia to agriculture; and 

 a tabulated statement intended to show the distribution of the mole 

 throughout the State, this latter information being derived from cor- 

 respondence. 



The stomachs of 3G moles were examined. The data furnished by 

 this examination show that the mole does not take vegetable matter 

 into its stomach intentionally as food. The author believes that his con- 

 clusion that the mole is an insectivorous animal is substantiated by the 

 dentation. Tbe mole has abundant opportunity to obtain vegetable 

 food, but with the exception of small quantities of such material it 

 apparently subsists on insects and worms, which are more difficult to 

 obtain. 



" Its peculiar habit of burrowing among tbe roots of grasses and other plants, 

 where it must often seize quickly prey liable to escape, will account satisfactorily for 

 the presence of small fragments of vegetable tissue in its stomach. 



"My conclusion, in final, is that, proving the mole to be an 'insectivorous' mam- 

 malian, is likewise proving its life work to be beneficial to the agriculturists, since 

 of the vast amount of insect life taken as food by the mole, the larger part of it con- 

 sists of insects whose whole existence is deleterious to plant life, they being vege- 

 tation eaters and destroyers; and that the anuoyance caused by the mole by its 

 burrowing under and disturbing the roots of growing plants while in quest of food 

 is more than compensated by its destroying and removing therefrom the insect life 

 feeding upon the vitality of these plants." 



The author believes that the damage caused by the eating of grain 

 seeds and fibrous roots, and the gnawing of roots of a tuberous nature, 

 is due to the ravages of the mouse family (Arvicolinae). 



"As a matter of fact, the runways of the mole are taken possession of and occupied 

 during the latter part of the summer and autumn season by the common brown 

 'field' or 'meadow' mouse (Arvicola riparid). 



"This mouse, which undoubtedly does the most extensive damage to vegetation of 

 any of our mammalia' (being not only granivorous but herbivorous), makes its nest 

 during the early part of the warm season on the surface of the ground in the middle 

 of a luxuriant bunch of grass or other vegetation of a close and dense nature, from 

 which home it makes its runways or paths in all directions (cutting and eating the 

 vegetation clear for a width of from 1.5 to 2 in. in order to make these paths). When 

 the vegetation is taken from the fields during the harvesting of crops, or so closely 

 cropped by the grazing of the cattle as to offer but scanty hiding places from its 

 natural enemies (the hawk and the owl, the fox and the skunk), this mouse takes 

 up its habitation under brush piles, 'worm' fences, and rocks, or in stone piles and 

 the underground runways of the mole. The latter it somewhat modifies for its own 

 use and convenience by cutting openings thereinto every 2 or 3 ft. of length. The 

 mouse, having thus become domiciled, follows the runways in all their ramifications, 

 and as the mole in its search for food has driven these underground passages to 

 those places where insect life is most prolific, amidst the densest vegetation, so tho 

 mouse, following thereafter, has supplied, with little trouble to itself, the A'egetablo 

 food it so desires." 



