142 THE EYES OF THE MOLE. 



visual powers of the mole are very imperfect or 

 altogether absent must be ignorant of the fact 

 that the animal is frequently in the habit of pursuing 

 frogs and mice on the surface of the ground, and 

 that on these occasions it can perceive its prey at 

 some distance ; and that in the breeding seasons the 

 males engage in desperate conflicts with each other, 

 which generally take place out of their runs. I 

 may also mention as a fact that the number of males 

 is greatly in excess of the females, and that two 

 years ago when collecting three dozen moleskins 

 there were only eight females among the number 

 brought to me. 



