132 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



to turn in ; but that its fur should remain clean because 

 reversible, is quite a different matter, and, I think, calls 

 for other explanation. Doubtless, some secreted oleagi- 

 nous substance protects it; but in what way is no less 

 difficult to understand. 



Again, how does the animal throw up its hills, or 

 " tumps/' as West country people call them ? In all 

 that I have read of moles I find no explanation of this ; 

 indeed, no attempt at one; zoological writers seeming 

 shy of alluding to the subject, doubtless from inability to 

 deal with it. Yet, in all the unexplained actions of ani- 

 mal life I know none more puzzling, and few more 

 mechanically interesting. Here we have a little round 

 hole, less than two inches diameter, in the firm turf of a 

 pasture field, through which a heap of underground 

 earth, often a bushel measure of it, and at times even a 

 barrowful, is thrown up in a single night. Nor is this all 

 of the night's doings ; half a dozen, or it may be a dozen, 

 smaller ones may be seen near by at varying distances, 

 the work of one mole between the two daylights. 



Still, it is not the wonderful exhibition of industry 

 which perplexes ; that were comprehensible enough. 

 The puzzle is how the task is performed. For the heap 

 is in most cases a regular cone, so obtuse as to approach 

 hemispherical shape, and there are no tracks nor sign to 

 show that the mole comes out upon the surface while 

 raising it; instead, every evidence it does not. How, 

 then, is the earth thrown up ? It cannot be by the 

 animal's feet and claws, however well adapted these are 

 the fore ones especially for burrowing. There seems 

 but one way possible : that the mould is projected up- 

 ward by the creature's snout, just as is done by pigs 

 when " rooting." All the mole-catchers I have consulted 



