GOLDEN MOLE OF SOUTH AFRICA 



of considerable value ; but it has another use, and 

 an important one. In its quest for insect food, 

 the Mole tunnels the ground in all directions, 

 loosening and throwing the valuable subsoil to the 

 surface, thus enabling the sun, air and bacteria to 

 operate upon it and change its nature. Again, by- 

 disturbing the ground and intersecting it with 

 tunnels, the rain accumulates underground instead 

 of running off the surface, as would otherwise be 

 the case. Thus does the Mole increase the fertility 

 of farm and veld. 



The Mole has faults from the human point of 

 view. All living creatures which are in the main 

 beneficial to man do some harm on occasion, and 

 the Mole is no exception. Li its eagerness to cap- 

 ture and devour the hosts of noxious insects which 

 mature underground, it sometimes disturbs seed- 

 beds and the roots of tender plants, or perchance 

 it will elect to throw up its hill on garden paths, 

 or make shallow drives in the lawn in quest of 

 worms. Farmers occasionally object to the Mole 

 because the hills it throws up interferes with the 

 reaping of a crop ; but what little inconvenience 

 is now and then experienced in this way is surely 

 more than compensated for hy the increased fer- 

 tility of the soil due to the underground tunnelling 

 and casting up of the rich subsoil. 



We, as a race, are far too hasty in passing judg- 

 ment on our animal friends because of such trivial 

 sins, forgetting or allowing ourselves to be wilfully 



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