THE COMMON MOLE, MOLDWARP OR WANT 13 



Few of our native mammals have supplied more material 

 for fancy writing to authors of works on natural history than the 

 subject of this article, many pages of imaginative admiration 

 having been devoted to it. Difficulties of observation have no 

 doubt much to do with this. At any rate, paragraphs are 

 published expressing commiseration with the poor creature's 

 life of incessant toil in subterranean darkness, and rapture at 

 its form and the peculiarities of its structure. Surprise is 

 expressed at its wonderful adaptation to its mode of life, and 

 minute descriptions are added of the well-nigh mathematical 

 plans upon which its under-ground home and habitations are 

 supposed to be constructed. 



Amongst so much fiction,^ to which authorities of such 

 weight as Blasius, MacGillivray, and Bell contributed each their 

 quotum, it is difficult to find the truth. Indeed, were it not for the 

 recent studies of Messrs William Evans^ and Lionel E. Adams, ^ 

 the compiler's task would have been most unenviable. Few 

 accurate observations were previously on record. Gilbert 

 White almost ignored the animal, and other early writers were 

 unacquainted with its habits. 



For the first detailed account of the life of the Mole, we are 

 indebted to Henri le Court, who originally held a lucrative 

 situation at the French Court, but retired from the horrors of 

 the Revolution into the country, to devote himself to the study 

 of this animal and of the most efficient means for its extirpa- 

 tion. Le Court imparted his knowledge to his friend and pupil 

 Antoine Alexis Cadet de Vaux, who published a small book on 

 the subject in 1803.* Mr Adams thinks that this interesting 



^ A paper in the i^zW^ of nth July 1908, 90-91, wherein Colonel R. F. Meysey- 

 Thompson quotes largely from a mole-catcher, is a good example of the prevailing 

 intermixture of correct and incorrect observations. 



' First published in 1892 in Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc, Edinburgh, Sess. xi., 1890- 

 1891, 85-171, read 15th April 1891. I am also indebted to Evans for many 

 unpublished original observations of which I have made free use. 



^ "A Contribution to our Knowledge of the Mole {Talpa eiiropcea)," Mem. and 

 Proc. Matichesier Lit. and Philosoph. Soc, xlvii., 4, 1-39, read i8th November 1902 

 (1903); "Observations on a Captive Mole {Talpa europcea)" Journ. cit, 1., 9, 1-7, 

 read loth April 1906 (1906); also, "Some Notes on the Breeding Habits of the 

 Common Mo\e" Journ. cit., liv., 2, 1-9, and plate, read 19th October 1909 (1909). 

 Adams has also favoured me with his note-books containing many supplementary 

 observations of great value and interest, the whole of which he has placed at my 

 disposal, and has, besides, rendered assistance by reading the MS. of this article. 



* De la Taupe, de ses nicsurs, deses habitudes, et des inoyens de la detruire ( Paris, 1 803). 

 VOL. II. B 2 



