126 The Naturalist in Silurla. 



story, I may quote from the account of it given by Mr. 

 Bell, which is as follows : 



" For these and many other interesting particulars in 

 the life and habits of the Mole, we principally are indebted 

 to the researches of Henri le Court, a person who, having 

 held a lucrative situation about the Court at the epoch of 

 the French Revolution, retired from the horrors of that 

 fearful period into the country, and there devoted the re- 

 mainder of his life to the study of the habits of the Mole, 

 and of the most efficient means for its extirpation. His 

 discoveries have been recorded by M. Cadet de Vaux, in 

 a work published in the year 1803, and more briefly by 

 Geoffroy St. Hilaire, in his * Cours d'Histoire Naturelle 

 des Mammiferes.' This distinguished naturalist indeed 

 visited Le Court for the purpose of ascertaining the truth 

 and extent of these discoveries, and of enjoying the facility 

 with which he was enabled by long habit to trace and to 

 demonstrate the various labours of this object of his in- 

 cessant research." 



Le Court's research seems to have reached further into 

 the arcana of Nature, or under the ground, than those of 

 any one else. I can, at least, answer for my own, since 

 having opened scores of moles' nests for they do make 

 a nest I never came upon anything of the fortress kind, 

 nor ever met I mole-catcher who had, and I have cross- 

 questioned no end of Talparii. What Talpa really con- 

 structs for breeding-place, and not as a retreat for repose 

 or security, is a heap, or " tump," which externally bears 

 a rough resemblance to the so-called fortress ; but inter- 

 nally, or rather subterraneously, is altogether different. 

 There is a nest in the centre, mostly composed of the 

 dead leaves of trees, and placed nearly on a level with the 

 surface of the surrounding terrain; while leading away 



