162 Kansas Academy of Science. 



every spot where I have once captured a mole, by hand or by trap, 

 has been visited by other moles and the deserted runways again 

 occupied. 



HOURS OF ACTIVITY. 



It is commonly believed that moles work only at periods recur- 

 ring regularly each day; that in the morning, at noon, and again in 

 the evening the little animals are impelled by hunger to extend 

 their surface runways in search of food. Between times they are 

 supposed to sleep or rest quietly in their underground nests. It is 

 possible that this idea may have gained popular credence through 

 a course of reasoning from our own regularity of meal times. My 

 observations go to show that during the fall season, at least, there 

 is no stated time of day when the animal is more or less active 

 than at other times. The results of these observations are given 

 below. 



It has been found that if a breach is made into the runway of a 

 mole, the little animal will invariably repair the breach when he 

 comes that way on his rounds. By taking advantage of this fact 

 one can gain much information if he will visit, at short, regular in- 

 tervals throughout the day, each of a circuit of runs in which a 

 slight breach has been made. The following are the results of such 

 an investigation : 



Fifty runs were marked by stakes and a breach made in each as 

 late in the evening as it was possible to see the marks. The first 

 round of inspection was made between sjx and seven o'clock the 

 next morning, and other rounds at intervals of one hour during 

 that day and the following day. To the records of these two days 

 were added those of two other nonconsecutive days, selected so as 

 to include various kinds of weather 



Number of places in which breaches were repaired during the night . . . 135 



Number of places in which repairs were made during the day 116 



Breaks repaired in the forenoon 109 



Breaks repaired in the afternoon 89 



Breaks found repaired at— 



8 a. m 19 



9 A. M 18 



10 A. M 22 



11 A. M 26 



12 M 24 



1 P. M 27 



2 P. M 17 



3 P. M 12 



4 P. M 20 



5 P. M 13 



