22 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



able extant, not only by the wounds they inflict on the root with 

 their sharp claws, but by raising the sod while forming their bur- 

 rows, so as to withdraw the roots from the influence of the moist 

 soil below. 



THE STAR-NOSE MOLE frequents the banks of rivulets, and the 

 soft soil of adjacent meadows, where their burrows are most nu- 

 merous, and apparently interminable ; in many places it is scarcely 

 possible to advance a step without breaking down their galleries, 

 by which the surface is thrown into ridges, and the surface of the 

 green sward in no slight degree disfigured. The excavations which 

 are most continuous, and appear to be most frequented, are placed 

 at a short distance below the grass roots, on the banks of small 

 streams ; these are to be traced along their margins, following 

 every inflexion, and making frequent circuits in order to pass large 

 stones or roots of trees, to regain their usual proximity to the sur- 

 face nearest the water. 



The form of the burrow does not perceptibly differ from that 

 made by the shrew-mole ; but very few hills are to be found in 

 the localities inhabited by the star-nose. The chamber-cell resem- 

 bles that described in the last chapter, being a space of several 

 inches dug out of some spot where the clay is tenacious, and the 

 cell least exposed to injury from the weather or other accidents. 



The system of dentition peculiar to this genus, would lead to 

 the inference that the quality of its food must in some respects 

 differ from that used by the shrew-mole ; but on this point it is 

 not easy to say more, than that as the star-nose prefers moist and 

 low situations, and the shrew-mole is most frequently found in dry, 

 and rather elevated spots, they feed on the larvae and insects pro- 

 per to such places, which are doubtless of dissimilar kinds. In a 

 state of captivity both animals feed readily on flesh, either raw or 

 cooked, and neither seem to show any fondness for, nor willingness 

 to eat, vegetable matter. 



My duty consists merely in pointing out the most efficacious 

 method of destroying the animal : those farmers who think he 

 should be rather protected than warred against, are not obliged to 

 use the means I merely place within their reach. 



Few dogs will kill or even mouth the mole, and if a dead one 

 be presented to a dog, he will usually curl up his lips, and turn 

 frcm it in apparent disgust. I have heard this asserted of cats 

 also, but am not positive of the correctness of the idea, never hav- 

 ing rayself made the experiment. Traps and poison are the means 



