Biological Papers. 123 



Apr. 13... Young evidently recently born; uterus flabby and veins con- 

 gested. 

 Apr. 14 . . . Young evidently recently born; the number of foeti had been four. 

 Apr. 14 . . . Young evidently recently born ; the number of f oeii had been four. 

 Apr. 14 . . . Young evidently recently born ; the number of foeti had been four. 

 Apr. 15 ..Young born; evidences of being suckled, 

 Apr. 16. . Young evidently born. 



Apr. 17 . .Young born; number of foeti had been four. 

 Apr. 17. . Young evidently born. 

 Apr. 19. . .Young evidently born. 

 Apr. 20. . .Young evidently born, 

 ^pr. 20. . .Young evidently born. 

 Apr. 22. . .Four young moles taken in nest; weighed one ounce each. 



SUMMARY. 



Number of females pregnant or having recently born young 33 



Normal number of young, apparently 4 



Largest number of young in any case 5 



Smallest number of young in any case 3 



Number of cases in which foeti were distinguishable 10 



Cases in which condition of uterus indicated number of young recently 



born 4 



Nests of young moles 1 



Cases of four foeti 12 



Cases of three foeti 2 



Cases of five foeeti 1 



FOOD HABITS. 



The moles and the shrews constitute the sole representatives in 

 Ncrth America of the mammalian order Insectivora (insect-eaters). 

 A study of their dentition, the character of their food and their 

 general behavior in several respects shows that they are much more 

 closely related to the carnivorous, or flesh-eating mammals, than 

 to the rodents, a group which includes the rats, mice, rabbits, 

 squirrels, and the like. This is especially true of the shrews, which 

 are quite weasel-like in character. They fight savagely, kill and 

 eat other small mammals larger than themselves, and when angry 

 or excited emit a musky odor like the weasel and the mink. 



It has long been known to scientists, through careful study and 

 investigation, that the diet of moles consists mainly of the insects, 

 grubs and worms to be found in the soil. This fact, however, has 

 been slower in gaining popular credence than most scientific pro- 

 nunciamentos. In other parts of this paper we have called the 

 mole's guests to account for the general prejudice which has arisen 

 against him, and again, in this connection, we wish to reiterate 

 that the mole is directly responsible for only a very small portion 

 of any damage to seeds, grains and tubers in the ground. Field 



