PERIODICAL LITERATURE. 

 BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY. 



In an interesting account Dr. Knauer de- 

 Natural molishes various misconceptions which are 



History current, regarding the Hfe liistory of moles. 



of He declares the mole a decidedly useful 



Moles. animal in the forest (without bringing 



reasons, but probably because of its capa- 

 city for destroying larvae). Their voraciousness for earth- 

 worms, insects, snails, frogs and small reptiles is well known. 



A detailed account of the life history, as usually described, is 

 given, the fanciful descriptions, full of error, originating in 

 France. A German, Dahl, and an Englishman, L. E. Adams 

 (Memoirs and Proceedings of the Manchester Literary and 

 Philosophical Society 1902-3), are given the credit for dissipat- 

 ing the fancies. 



They find no regularity, but great individual variety in the 

 structure of the mole's dwelling. Tliey deny that the remarkable 

 accumulations of worms are due to providential instinct, but 

 result from the wandering of worms to greater depth as the 

 ground freezes. The maiming of worms to keep them as live 

 food is a myth, the maiming being an incident of immuring them 

 in the ground. 



These stores' of worms are hunted after by fishermen, especially 

 in December and January. It is ascertained that the claimed 

 disparity in numbers of males and females does not exist, and that 

 there is only one brood. 



Neues aus der Naturgcschichte des Maiihvurfs. Centralblatt f. d. g. 

 Forstwesen. November, 1910. Pp. 485-492. 



