n. YORKSHIRE. 127 



railing frefh mould upon grafsland ; and in 

 killing worms ; which, he-conceives, feed up- 

 on the roots of grafs and corn. ^ 



That moles are ufeful to cold fir ong- textured 

 land, aixl to grafsland in general^ is probably 

 a fad ; and this may account for the opinion 

 under notice; which. was formed on foil of 

 that defcription ; or on grafsland of a more 

 loamy nature. 



But admitting that moles are ufeful upon 

 cold ftrong grafsland, it does not follow that 

 they likewife are ufeful on light, thin-foiled^ 

 arable land. Their mifchiefs, here, are too 

 obvious to be over-looked. 



With refpedt to WORMS, too, moles are pro- 

 bably mifchievous. No evidence, I appre- 

 hend, has ever been produced of their feed- 

 ing on the roots of vegetables. I fpeak of 

 the common earth-worm ; not of the grubs 

 of beetles, &c* They are faid to draw leaves 

 and other vegetable fubftances into the % 

 ground ; but to what end is only conjectur- 

 ed. It may be in purfuance of the wifcft 

 dictates, and for the beft of purpofes. 



I mention this fubjett, bccaufe I believe it 

 is new to the public ; and I mention it in. this 



curfory 



