124 Kansas Academy of Science. 



mice, voles and the common house mice are the guilty parties. If 

 anyone is skeptical on this point he has only to set a few small 

 mouse traps, properly baited, in the mole's runway and await re- 

 suits. In setting the trap a small excavation should be made with 

 a knife or trowel. Place the trap on a level with the bottom of the 

 runway. See that the latter is open both ways, and cover the ex- 

 cavation with a board or piece of sod to exclude the light and pre- 

 vent the entrance of any small animal exceiDt by way of the burrow. 

 Try various baits, such as soaked corn or peas, bits of meat, in- 

 sects and pieces of potato. 



With respect to damage to roots and tubers by eating into them, 

 it will usually be found on careful examination that the tooth 

 marks are those of rodents. 



EXAMINATION OF STOMACH CONTENTS. 



Direct evidence of what an animal eats may usually be obtained 

 in one or all of three ways: by examination of stomach contents, 

 by observations in the field, and by experiments with captives. In 

 the case of the mole, field observations are of course impracticable. 

 By the other two methods, therefore, we have endeavored to satisfy 

 ourselves, and we hope others, as to the character of a mole's diet. 

 The accompanying table gives the results of the careful examina- 

 tion of the stomach contents of one hundred moles: 



Results of Examination of 100 Moles' Stomachs. 



Serial 

 number. Stomach Contents. 



1 7 white grubs, 20 ants, 2 centipedes, 1 wasp. 



2 2 white grubs, 1 earthworm, 1 beetle. 



3 3 white grubs, 2 earthworms, 5 Diptera, beetle fragments. 



4 8 white grubs, 3 larvae (cutworms?), 1 beetle, plant rootlets. 



5 2 white grubs, beetle fragments, 1 insect larva, plant fibers. 



6 2 earthworms, 1 May beetle, 1 plant rootlet. 



7 2 white grubs, 1 beetle larva, plant fibers. 



8 5 white grubs, 5 beetle larva;, 1 earthworm, 3 larva?, 1 cricket, frag- 



ments of vegetable tissue. 



9 2 earthworms, 2 white grubs, 2 larvae, 1 beetle, plant fibers. 

 lU 15 white grubs (small), insect fragments. 



11 5 earthworms, 1 white grub, 1 centipede, 1 fly, 1 cricket, 1 puparium,. 



insect fragments. 



12 2 earthworms, 18 ants, 1 beetle larva. 



13 3 earthworms, 17 ants, 2 puparia, insect fragments, plant fibers. 



14 2 white grubs, 2 beetles. 



15 2 white grubs, 1 beetle larva, 2 beetles, 1 cricket, 1 ant, 3 centipedes. 



16 2 earthworms, 3 insect cocoons, insect fragments. 



17 8 earthworms, 19 white grubs, plant fibers. 



18 1 earthworm, 1 puparium, 1 spider, 1 larva, plant fibers. 



