jo6 Q^U ADRUPEDS. 



falling earth ; that inconvenience is avoided by its being very Imall, and 

 very clofely covered with hair. Anatonnifts mention alfo a certain muf- 

 cle, by which the animal can advance^or draw back its eyes at pleafure. 

 Perfeftly fitted to the animaPs fituation, are alfo the fenfes of hearing 

 and fmelling ; by the firft it receives notice of diflant danger, by the 

 other, is directed, in the midft of darknefs, to its food. Buried in the 

 earth, it feldom ftirs our, unlefs forced by violent rains, or when in 

 purfuit of prey it gets into the open air, which is hardly its natural ele- 

 ment : it choofes the loofer fofcer grounds, beneath which it can travel 

 with greater eafe ; where alfo it finds moft worms and infedts, on which 

 it chiefly preys. It is moft adtive, and calls up moft earth, immediate- 

 ly before rain ; and, in winter, before a thaw : at thofe times worms 

 and infefts being. in motion, and approaching the furface. In dry 

 weather, the mole feldom forms hillocks, but penetrates deeper after 

 its prey. 



Their greateft calamity is an inundation j notwithftanding every effort 

 to reach the higher grounds, many perifh, as well as their young, which 

 remain in their holes. Without fuch accidents, their great fecundity 

 would render them extremely troublefome ; and as it is, in fome places 

 they are ponfidered by the farmer as his greateft peft. They couple 

 toward the approach of fpring, and their young are found about the be- 

 ginning of May, four or five at a time. It is eafy to diftinguifti that 

 mole- hill in which the female has brought forth, by its fize. To form 

 this retreat, fhe begins by erefting the earth into a tolerably fpacious 

 apartment, fupported by partitions, to prevent the roof from falling; 

 Ihie beats the earth very firm, to render it tight againft the m.oft violent 

 rain, and raifes it above flight inundations. She then procures grafs 

 and dry leaves, as a bed for her young. All around this hill, are holes 

 diverging into the earth, from the middle apartment, extending about 

 fifteen feet in every direftion, into which the animal makes her fubter<- 

 raneous excurfions, and by which, as ihe is very quick of hearing, the 

 inftant fhe perceives her habitation attacked, fhe and her young always 

 tnake good a retreat, unlefs the earth be dug away by feveral men at once. 



The mole is fcarcely found, except in cultivated countries : its varie- 

 ties are buc few. That of Virginia refembles the common mole, ex- 

 cept in colour, which is black, mixed with a deep purple. There are 

 fometimes white moles, particularly in Poland, rather larger than the 

 former, 



OF 



