10 



Entomology and Zoology Department [Bull. 168 



moles. In fact, observations more than once showed a trap 

 holding a dead shrew pushed up by fresh mole work almost 

 out of the small excavation that had been made. Whether 

 tolerated or not, the shrew by no act contributes to blackening 

 the reputation of his host as do the other guests mainly voles 

 (meadow mice), white-footed field mice and the common house 

 mouse. These latter are directly responsible for most of the 

 thefts of grains, seeds and tubers commonly laid to the charge 

 of the mole. Conclusive evidence of the truth of this state- 

 ment will be found in another part of this bulletin. It is 

 sufficient to state here that the presence of these little rodent 

 pests in considerable numbers in the mole's runways can easily 

 be demonstrated by the use of small traps. 



The Mole's Guests. (Original.) 1 Meadow mouse (Microtus) . 2 White-footed mouse 

 (Peromyscus) . 3 Shrew (Blarina). 4 Common house mouse (Mus musculus ) . 



BREEDING. Though one of the most abundant of our small 

 mammals, the mole is a slow breeder. This would be ex- 

 pected of an animal withdrawn from the strife and competition 

 that reddens tooth and claw in the world above his secluded 

 burrows. As will be seen from the accompanying table, the 

 number of young at a birth is normally four and but one litter 

 is produced annually. These facts were ascertained from the 

 examination of a large number of females (101) taken in all 

 months of the year. Thirty-three of these were either pregnant 



