MARCH 71 



and watched them through the microscope for many 

 months. And he had his reward ; for upon this wall, 

 within a few feet of his fireside, he identified four 

 species of fungi hitherto unknown to science, one of 

 which constituted a new genus. It must, indeed, be 

 admitted that it is not every gentleman whose woman- 

 kind would smile on this form of chamber botany. 



XXI 



Few people may admit without demur the position I 

 am going to claim for the mole among friends 

 of agriculture; even its warmest advocates 

 have to acknowledge that in discharge of its duties this 

 subterranean policeman occasions a good deal of irrita- 

 tion, both to the farmer and gardener. The farmer is 

 naturally incensed when he finds that a mole has been 

 running up and down under the drills of newly hoed 

 turnips, throwing the young plants out of the ground, 

 apparently in wanton mischief, for the animal does not 

 eat them ; the gardener curses the beast that disfigures 

 his well-kept lawns, and perhaps uproots newly planted 

 carnations in his borders or rows of sprouting peas. 

 Agreed these habits are vexatious; but what is the 

 mole's object in carrying on like this ? It is one of the 

 most ravenous animals on the face of more correctly, 

 under the face of the earth, yet it disdains vegetable 

 food. It disturbs the young turnips and carnations, 

 because they have a peculiar attraction for the destruc- 

 tive wireworm grub of the cockchafer; it disfigures 



