FIELD BOOK OF MAMMALS 



The Mole is after worms and other insect food, and starves 

 to death if forced to a plant diet. Sometimes Meadow Mice 

 follow the runways of the Mole to take advantage of any- 

 exposed roots and then, of course, it is only natural that the 

 Mole is blamed for the damage. 



Moles are active creatures and in favorable soil make an 

 extensive series of runways. Some of these runways may not 

 be used more than once and the animal may not traverse 

 them again after they are made, others may be used several 

 times in twenty-four hours. If all the ridges are pressed 

 down with the foot a later visit will show which ones are raised 

 and in use. 



The Mole has a central nest-chamber or retreat, deep under 

 a stump, stone- wall, or other surface obstacle and from this it 

 works as a base, pushing out for considerable distances. 

 Most frequently the runway passes so close to the surface of 

 the earth that the roof of the tunnel is raised above the 

 ground-level; but sometimes this is not the case and the Mole 

 must get rid of loose earth in another fashion. From deep 

 tunnels the loosened earth is pushed up a short, vertical 

 chimney and piles up on the surface as a mound. Moles 

 are surprisingly strong and literally swim through the soil. 



The powerful forefeet thrust out sideways to displace the 

 earth, and if the soil is mellow the progress is fairly rapid. I 

 have stood and watched the large Townsend Mole at work 

 just below the surface of a meadow. The soil heaved and 

 lifted and the sound of cracking grass-roots was clearly audible 

 for several feet. Occasionally the shifting of the sod dis- 

 turbed an angle- worm which began to draw itself up out of the 

 earth, but presently there would come a subterranean turmoil 

 and the worm would be jerked back into the ground and I 

 knew that the IMole had pulled it down. From observations 

 on Moles in captivity, it has been noted that the snout plays 

 an important part, being thrust ahead to make the preliminary 

 opening, when one forefoot follows and sweeps outward 

 to enlarge the tunnel. 



The head of the Mole is set so close to the shoulders that 

 there is almost no neck, and the head and shoulders are capable 

 of a powerful upward thrust. For this reason it is doubtless 

 easier for the Mole to drive its tunnel just under the surface 

 where part of the runway can be broken upward into the air. 



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