TALPA ; OR, REMARKS OX THE HABITS OF THE MOLE. 61 



Ireland, this fact had not previously occurred to me. It is 

 true I had never seen a molehill there. Since then I have 

 searched all the books I possess on natural history, and only 

 two authors notice the absence of Moles in Ireland. Pennant 

 says, " We have been assured that Moles are not found in 

 Ireland." " The Naturalist's Library on British Quadrupeds " 

 says, " The Mole is said not to occur in any part of Ireland, 

 or in Orkney, or Shetland. It is not met with in any of the 

 Hebrides, excepting Bute, and is unknown in many of the 

 northern and western districts of the Highlands ; but is 

 distributed over all the other parts of Britain, from the 

 level of the sea to the height in some places of a thousand 

 feet or more, although more abundant in the lower or 

 richer ground."' I have lately inquired of an acquaintance 

 at Belfast, who is a good and observant naturalist. He 

 says, " It is a fact that Moles do not exist in Ireland." This 

 is remarkable, as a large portion of the South and East, and 

 part of the North of Ireland appears well suited to the 

 habits of the Mole. Much of Connaught may be too wet, 

 and other parts of it too denuded of soil. 



If we examine the structure of this animal, we shall 

 notice the wonderful adaptation, and how well suited in 

 Ibrm for its peculiar habits and mode of life. I have no 

 means of ascertaining to what age it may attain, but as the 

 food it feeds on is so plentiful, and it is generally found in 

 high condition, I think it may be a long-lived animal. 



Man appears to be its principal enemy. The earth is 

 never found to adhere to the soft fur of the Mole, but the 

 feet or paws, which are without fur, are often covered with 

 mould when captured. Purses are made of its skin by 

 country people, and a molecatcher may be seen with a waist- 

 coat made of the same material. , 



The peculiarly hidden life of the Mole prevents my 



