MOLE. 



247 



raised in a situation of safety and protection, either 

 under a bank, against the foundation of a wall, at a root 

 of a tree, or in some similar locality. The earth, of which 

 the dome cohering of this curious habitation is composed, 

 is rendered exceedingly strong and solid by being pressed 

 and beaten by the mole in forming it. It contains a 

 circular gallery within the base which communicates 

 with a smaller one above by five nearly equidistant pas- 

 sages ; and the domicile or chamber is placed within the 



STAB MOLE. 



COMMON MOLE. 



GARDEN MOLE. 



lower and beneath the upper circular gallery, to which 

 last it has access by three similar passages. From the 

 chamber extends another road, the direction of which 

 is at first downwards for several inches; it then rises 

 again to open into the high road of the encampment. 

 From the external circular gallery open about nine other 

 passages the orifices of which are never formed opposite 

 to those which connect the outer with the inner and 

 upper gallery; these extend to a greater or less distance, 

 and according to De Vaux return, each taking an 

 irregular semicircular route, and opening into the high 

 road at various distances from the fortress. Such is a 

 very hasty description of this most singular structure; 

 and nothing surely can be imagined more admirably calcu- 

 lated to ensure the security or the retreat of the inhab- 

 itant than such an arrangement of internal routes of 

 communication as this. The chamber communicating 



