12 



there is a mole-run. It has been also said that field-mice mav enter 

 the runways of the mole, and that they and not the moles may eat 

 the seed grain. Field-mice doubtless make use of old mole-runs, but 

 would scarcely enter such a run while its owner was still present; 

 and as the seed is eaten and the plants are destroyed at the time when 

 the burrows are dug', the injury cannot be attributed to anything- else 

 than the mole. 



Moles are accused not only of destroying recently planted seed, 

 but also of eating the roots or tubers of garden vegetables. Late in 

 the season of 1907 I visited a field at White Heath, in which it was 

 said that much damage had been done by moles. The potatoes had 

 Ijeen dug just before my arrival but partly eaten tuljers were abun- 

 dant, all near the edge of the field, and next to woodland and pasture. 

 The moles had tunneled extensively among the potato hills, and many 

 of the potatoes had been eaten by them, as appeared plainly from the 

 marks of incisor teeth, which just fitted the teeth of the mole, but 

 were much too broad to be the work of the mice or voles found in 

 the vicinity. Chipmunks and gophers were in the adjoining fields, 

 but of course would have taken the potatoes, if at all, by digging 

 down into the hills and not by an underground tunnel. The loss in 

 parts of the field was some 25 per cent. During the past season the 

 same field was planted to potatoes again. I visited it in September, 

 before the potatoes were ban-ested. Mole-runs were numerous in the 

 field, running' among the rows in all directions, but in no definite re- 

 lation to the hills. Tubers had often been laid bare by the moles but 

 they were generally uninjured. A few had been eaten by grubs, but 

 only one by a mammal. Evidently the moles, while not searching for 

 vegetable food, do sometimes avail themeslves of it when it is pres- 

 ent. Usually their tunnels are so placed that little vegetable matter 

 is encountered in making them — too small an amount to supply any 

 considerable part of the energy expended by this powerful and active 

 animal. The injuiy done by moles to lawns and other grass-lands is 

 undoubtedly done in their search for insects and wonns. It is not, 

 indeed, great except in small lawns, cemetery lots, and the like, the 

 appearance of which they may injure sufticiently to call for their de- 

 struction. 



But little is known definitely in regard to the enemies of moles. 

 Cats and dogs kill but do not eat them. Weasels, skunks, and foxes 

 probably kill them occasionally and, when hard pressed for food, may 



