40 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



a wild state it has been known to attack and kill a leveret. 

 In attacking a snake it will roll itself up between its bites and 

 thus protect itself against retaliation. 



The Mole. The family of the Talpidae to which the mole 

 belongs is a large and interesting one. The common mole 

 "when at rest, " says the author of " Tales of Animals," "bears 

 more resemblance to a small stuffed sack than to a living 

 animal, its head being entirely destitute of external ears, and 

 elongated nearly to a point, and its eyes so extremely small 

 and completely hidden by the fur, that it would not be sur- 

 prising should a casual observer conclude it to be blind. This 

 apparently shapeless mass is endowed with great activity and 

 a surprising degree of strength, and is excellently suited for 

 deriving enjoyment from the peculiar life it is designed to lead. 

 It is found abundantly in Europe and North America, from 

 Canada to Virginia ; often living at no great distance from 

 water-courses, or in dykes thrown up to protect meadows 

 from inundation. The mole burrows with great quickness, 

 and travels under ground with much celerity ; nothing can be 

 better constructed for this purpose than its broad and strong 

 hands, or fore paws, armed with long and powerful claws, 

 which are very sharp at their extremities, and slightly curved 

 on the inside. Numerous galleries, communicating with each 

 other, enable the mole to travel in various directions, without 

 coming to the surface, which they appear to do very rarely, 

 unless their progress is impeded by a piece of ground so hard 

 as to defy their strength and perseverance. The depth of 

 their burrows depends very materially on the character of 

 the soil, and the situation of the place ; sometimes running 

 for a great distance, at a depth of from one to three inches, 

 and sometimes much deeper. Moles are most active early 

 in the morning, at midday, and in the evening; after rains 

 they are particularly busy in repairing their damaged galleries; 

 and in long continued wet weather we find that they seek 

 the high grounds for security." 



