Miscellaneous Papers. 161 



There can be no question but that these branches of tlie deep run- 

 way system actually end each in a cul-de-sac, for in nearly a dozen 

 cases they were carefully followed with spade and trowel to an 

 abrupt termination. Usually the blind end was slightly enlarged 

 on one side of the axis, as though the burrowing animal had scooped 

 out a little leeway for turning to right or left. 



Occasionally at any point on the surface ridge a mole's burrow 

 will drop down abruptly and follow along in the subsoil for several 

 feet before reappearing again at the surface. This is probably a 

 provision for escaping the attacks of an enemy above ground, as 

 these retreats are often at points remote from the main central 

 system. 



In my excavations I have unearthed at least a half-dozen nests, 

 each in a chamber four to six inches in diameter and about a foot 

 beneath the surface of the ground. In all cases the nesting ma- 

 terial consisted mainly of closely cropped pasture grasses with the 

 tine fibrous roots attached. It. is probable that this grass stubble 

 had been pulled down by the roots into the shallow surface bur- 

 rows and carried from those to the nesting chambers. That the 

 mole seeks some mateiial ab ve ground for its nests, however, is 

 evident from the fact that there was a large admixture of leaves in 

 the only two nests that were near trees. 



But two of the six nests discovered were in a condition to indi- 

 cate that they might be in use at the time (late fall months). The 

 others were somewhat dilapidated, mixed with earth and infested 

 with vermin. It is likely that these were occupied when the young 

 were being reared in the spring. 



In sifting the material of these old nests, hundreds of small, 

 light-brown beetles {Leptinus testaceus) were secured. Their 

 larva? were also very plentiful, and in addition the material yielded 

 mites in all stages, and some fleas. Specimens of all these para- 

 sites were also found on some of the moles trapped during the fall. 



There is little doubt but that the mole is strictly a hermit in its 

 relations to others of its kind, particularly in the fall season of the 

 year. During the progress of my excavations one mole, and only 

 one, showed up in each case to make repairs in the ruined gal- 

 leries. When this m(jle was caught the place always remained in 

 a state of desolation for some days at least. In a field well popu- 

 lated by moles the intersection of branch runs belonging to dif- 

 ferent systems is inevitable. Sooner or later, therefore, almost 

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