V. THE STAR-NOSED MOLE (Condylura cristata) ITS BREED- 

 ING HABITS, ETC. BY WATSON L. BISHOP, Dartmouth, N. S. 



(Read March 18th, 1901.) 



The Star-Nosed Mole occurs from Nova Scotia to Indiana and 

 northward, but as far as I am aware is not anywhere abundant. 

 The soil where it is most commonly found is sedimentary 

 and quite near to water. Intervale or meadow land is almost 

 invariably selected as its place of abode. In such a locality, during 

 the spring and autumn months, little mounds of black soil are 

 thrown up in zig-zag rows marking the course of its subterra- 

 nean roadways. 



To dig one of these little fellows out of the ground is no easy 

 task, although the holes are quite easily found and readily 

 followed ; there are so many angles and turns that one's labours 

 are seldom rewarded with as much as a glimpse of the little 

 creatures. 



On May 22nd, 1890, while having some apple trees planted, I 

 had the good luck to find a nest containing four of the young. 



The locality where the nest was found was two miles south 

 of Kentville in King's County, Nova Scotia. The land had been 

 cleared of small forest trees several years before and had grown 

 up with grass and was mowed every year. 



The particular spot where the nest was found was a 

 little hillock or cradlehill which had been formed appar- 

 ently by a tree having been blown down. When the roots had 

 rotted away a small dry mound of soft black sedimentary 

 earth was formed, and in this the nest was built. This mound 

 was high enough to be out of reach of storm-water during wet 

 weather. 



The excavation containing the nest was ten inches below the 

 surface, and was made in a circular form, seven inches in 

 diameter. The nest was built of old dry grass, and was very 



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