in regard to the Mole. 37 
ifland, lord Airly, the proprietor, has a caftle and {mall 
fhrubbery. I obferved frequently the appearance of freth 
mole-cafis, or hills. I for fome time took it to be the water 
moufe, and one day afked the gardener if it was fo? No, he 
faid, it was the mole; and that he had caught one or two 
lately. But that five or fix years ago he had caught two in 
traps; and for two years after this he had obferved 
none. But about four years ago, coming afhore in a fum- 
mer’s evening in the dufk, the 4th or 5th of June, 10 o’clock 
P. M. he and another refpectable perfon, lord Airly’s 
butler, faw at a {mall diftance upon the fmooth water fome 
animal paddling to, and not far diftant from, the ifland. 
They foon, too foon! clofed with this feeble paffenger, and 
found it to be our common mole, led by a moft aftonifhing 
inftinét from the neareft point of land (the caftle-hill) to 
take pofleflion of this defert ifland,. It was at this time, 
for the fpace of about two years, quite free from any fub- 
terraneous inhabitant; but the mole has for more than a 
year paft made its appearance again, and its operations I 
was witnels te. 
In the hiftory of this animal I do not, at-prefent, recolle& 
any faét fo ftriking; efpecially when we confider the great 
depth of the water, both in fummer and winter—from {ix 
to ten, fifteen, and fome places as deep as thirty or forty 
feet, all round the ifland. 
Edinburgh, 
April 26, 1793. 
be eee VIII. Experi. 
