62 TALPA ; OE, REMARKS ON THE HABITS OF THE MOLE. 



enlivening this paper with interesting anecdotes. I copy, 

 however, one which I found in " Science Gossip," which 

 will illustrate its voracity. 



" Last winter, when the ground was frozen very hard, 

 I saw a bewildered Mole trying with all his might to bury 

 himself in the ground. I soon captured the little beast and 

 pocketed him. In my walk I espied a poor field mouse, 

 running about for shelter ; him I easily captured, and put 

 into the same pocket, which was large and capacious. Very 

 shortly after the introduction, I found a considerable dis- 

 turbance was going on between the two, and supposing they 

 were trying to escape I closed the pocket to prevent it. 

 I reached home in about half an hour, when, what was 

 my surprise, on feeling for my captives, to find the poor 

 mouse gone, all but his head. The Mole had disposed of 

 him. I then placed the survivor on the table, laying the 

 head before him, when, with all the coolness imaginable, 

 he picked the bones of his unfortunate companion, taking 

 no heed of several persons who stood round." 



With regard to the usefulness of Talpa as a civil 

 engineer, my experience and observation convince me that 

 it is too wandering and uncertain in its digging operations. 

 And where Moles are numerous they necessitate much 

 extra work to prevent injury. 



