MOLE. 123 



extending in search of food, and which constitute, in 

 fact, its hunting-ground. The fortress is formed under 

 a large hillock, which is always raised in a situation of 

 safety and protection ; either under a bank, against the 

 foundation of a wall, at the root of a tree, or in some 

 similar locality. The earth, of which the dome covering 

 this curious habitation is composed, is rendered exceed- 

 ingly 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 passages ; and the 

 domicile or chamber is placed within the lower and be- 

 neath 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 down- 

 wards for several inches ; it then rises again to open 

 into the high road of the encampment. From the ex- 

 ternal 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 calculated to 

 ensure the security or the retreat of the inhabitant, than 

 such an arrangement of internal routes of communica- 

 tion as this. The chamber communicating beneath 

 directly with the road, and above with the upper gallery, 

 this with the lower by five passages, and the latter 

 again with the road by no less than nine, exhibit 

 altogether a complication of architecture which may 

 rival the more celebrated erections of the Beaver. 



