The "Hoont." 139 



THE "HOONT." 



A striking feature of our fields just now, more es- 

 pecially the pastures, is the number of mole-hills, or, as 

 here called, " tumps," observable all over them. I never 

 beheld them in such profusion; on some meadows so thick 

 that there is almost as much of the surface covered with 

 these dark, circular heaps as with the grassy turf around 

 them ; all recently thrown up too, or at least since the 

 commencement of the frosty weather. Some are so large 

 it seems almost incredible they could have been made by 

 a creature so diminutive as the mole, taking the time 

 into account ; for one which I noticed in particular bore 

 resemblance to a barrowful of loose mould " dumped" 

 down on the grass, its freshness showing that it had been 

 the work of the night or day preceding. Not only itself, 

 but a row of others on each side indicating the " run," 

 all equally recent, proclaimed the tunnelling to have been 

 done by this wonderful navvy within a period of twelve, 

 or, at most, twenty- four hours ! And this when the 

 earth was frozen to a depth of several inches ! For 

 during the December snow, which fell upon a frost 

 already gone deep into the ground, I saw many mole- 

 hills freshly thrown up. There is much in the natural 

 history and habits of this curious quadruped which needs 

 explanation. Even its mode of burrowing, if I mistake 

 not, has never been clearly comprehended. No more the 

 fact that, passing through what sort of soil it may the 

 ferruginous earth of the red sandstone, or the white tilth 

 of the chalk formations, squeezing through ground wefc 

 or dry its soft, silky coat comes out unstained and un- 

 sullied, as if from a wrapping of tissue paper. I hope to 

 have an opportunity of returning to this subject, which 



