Ot/ervations on the Mole. 35 
before the animal is aware of the attack, and therefore it has 
not power to efcape. If the mole-hill be frefh, even though 
the animal may not be throwing up earth, the perfon ought 
not to lofe his time in waiting, but fhould immediately pro- 
ceed to the operation above mentioned: 
If. you find a freth hill ftanding by itfelf, which feems to 
thew by its fituation that it has no communication with any 
other, which is always the cafe when the mole has worked 
from the furface downwards in endeavouring to procure a 
more convenient habitation, after the hill has been turned 
up with the fpade, a bucket of water fhould be poured over 
the mouth of the paflage. By thefe means the animal, 
which is at no great diftance, will be obliged to come forth, 
and may be eafily caught with the hand. 
You may difcover alfo whether a hill has any communi- 
cation with another, if you apply your ear to it, and then. 
cough or make a loud noife. If it has no communication 
with the neighbouring hills, you will hear the terrified 
animal make a noife by its motion. It will then be im- 
poffible for it to efcape; and you may either pour water 
into the hole, or turn up the hill with a fpade until the 
mole is found; for in general it never goes deeper into the 
earth than from fifteen to eighteen inches. 
When any of the beds in a garden have been newly 
watered, the mole, attracted by the coolnefs and moifture, 
readily repairs thither, and takes up its refidence in them, 
making a paflage at the depth of fearcely an inch below the 
furface. In that cafe it may eafily be caught. When you 
fee it at work, you need only tread behind the animal with 
your fect on the paflage to prevent its retreat, and then turn 
up the hill with a fpade; by which means you will be fure to 
eatch it. 
When you dig after it with a fpade, the animal forces its 
way downwards into the earth in a perpendicular direction, 
in order ‘that it may better efcape the threatened danger. 
In that cafe it will not be neceflary to dig long, but to pour 
. D2 water 
