Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlviz. {igo^)), No. 4. 3 



him by a mole-catcher, whose chief recommendation for 

 accuracy seems to have been that he invented a garden 

 rake ! This treatise is a splendid example of inconsequent 

 reasoning and errors of every sort. It is amusing to find 

 how quite recent writers repeat the old admiration for 

 the cylindrical shaped body, ossified nasal cartilage, 

 reversible fur, &c., as being so well adapted to the 

 mole's habits of life. This was natural enough for Buffon 

 in pre-evolutionary days, but we might just as well 

 admire the way our bodies fit our clothes and the adapta- 

 bility of our erect position to the doors of our houses. 



I owe many thanks to numerous friends and corre- 

 spondents who have helped my researches with the loan 

 of books, references, &c., especial thanks being due to 

 Messrs. A. Trevor-Battye, C. Oldham, W. E. Hoyle, 

 C. E. Wright, and the Rev. E. A. Woodruffe-Peacock. 



The Mole's Fortress. 



I have found a spade the best implement for dis- 

 secting fortresses. Generally it is possible to borrow one 

 from a cottage near the spot, but I have often found it save 

 time and trouble to take a small light spade on my cycle. 

 The surfaces of the fortress may be carefully sliced away 

 till a run is visible, and this run can be followed and 

 opened with the hands till it descends to a deeper level, 

 when further slicing is necessary. Before this is done a 

 plan of the exposed run can be made on paper, and then 

 another layer of runs exposed, always taking care to 

 preserve the connections (if any exist) between the upper 

 and lower runs ; the lower runs should then be drawn on 

 the plan. These plans should, of course, be made on the 

 spot, as it is hopeless to attempt to draw them accurately 



