34 Obfervatious on the Mole. 
It continues its labour at all times, becaufe it is neceffary: 
for it to procure nourifhment. It is abfolutely falfe that it 
fleeps throughout. the winter, as fome naturalifts haye af- 
ferted; for it throws up the earth in the coldeft feafon, ae 
well as during the fummer. It is moft bufily employed 
towards the end of winter, and, at that period forms the 
greateft number of hills. To this it is impelled by more 
than one reafon. In the firft place, it. muft provide nourifh- 
ment for its young; fecondly, it finds it eafieft at that time 
to dig its way threugh the earth; and laftly, as the air 
begins to be milder, the animal then recovers that. ftrength. 
which it had loft during the intenfe cold. At this feafon, 
therefore, it is moft proper to purfue means for extirpating 
this animal, as it cam be: deftroyed with. greater eafe while 
employed at its labour. 
The male is much ftronger than the female, and the hills 
thrown. up. by the former are much larger as well as more: 
numerous. The periods when the mole is moft bufily em- 
ployed in digging are in the morning, at fun-rife, at noon, 
and at fun-fet. In dry weather moles are obferyed to throw 
up the earth for the moft part only at {un-rife, and in winter 
when the earth kas been fomewhat heated by the fun’s rays. 
A perfon may eafily difeover how many moles are con- 
tained in a certain fpace of ground, by counting the freth 
raifed mole-hills which have no communication with eacly 
other. [mult remark alfo, that this animal has very bad’ 
fight, being almoft totally blind;. but its hearing, on the 
ether hand, is fo much the more acute. 
~T fhall now proceed to the method of deftroying them. 
Immediately at day-break it will be neceflary to make a tour 
round the garden or meadow, from which it is wifhed to 
extirpate the moles; for at that time they will be all found 
at work, as may be {een by the hills newly thrown up. If 
the perfon is then clofe to the hill, he mmuft proceed as the 
gardeners do, and turn up with a ftroke of the fpade the. hi 
together with the digger.. The paflage is then cut through 
“* before. 
