38 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX. 



soon learning to come to be fed. This is especially the case, 

 if the creature is kept in the kitchen, where it may suitably 

 occupy itself in destroying the cockroaches which sometimes 

 frequent that apartment. 



Family TALPID-/E (Gray). Dobson. 



Genus TALPA, Linn. 



Talpa europsea, Linn. COMMON MOLE. 



This useful animal is common in all parts of the county, 

 although in every district it is subjected to great persecution, 

 since the farmers naturally object to its practice of burrowing 

 and casting up mounds in their pastures and newly-sown 

 fields. I am not aware of any other mischief done by this 

 creature in Essex, except, it may be, that it disarranges and 

 blocks up the land-ditches by burrowing under them. In 

 other counties, no doubt, considerable damage has been done 

 by this industrious little miner, in boring through embankments 

 made to keep out water, thus necessitating every means to be 

 taken to keep down its numbers. 



The hillock which covers the nest of the mole is generally 

 made in a hedge or wood, although it lies sometimes quite in 

 the open field. It may generally be known by its size, being 

 much larger than the ordinary molehill. The young are from 

 three to six in number, and are produced in the spring. They 

 are born naked, but grow rapidly, and are soon covered with 

 the fine fur or down. While young, they are able to fast a 

 considerable time. I have had some brought to me alive 

 which had been taken from the nest on the previous day, and 

 had remained without food for many hours, a privation which 

 would speedily have proved fatal had they been full-grown. 



The cream-coloured variety of mole is not rare, especially 

 on some farms. 



