31S HISTORY OF 



Stronger and swifter than themselves." Their greatest calamity 

 is an inundation ; which, wherever it happens, they are seen in 

 numbers attempting to save themselves by swimming, and using 

 every effort to reach the higher grounds. The greatest part, 

 however, perish, as well as their young, which remain in the 

 holes behind. Were it not for such accidents, from their great 

 fecundity, they would become extremely troublesome ; and, as it 

 is, in some places, they are considered by the farmer as his 

 greatest pest. They couple towards the approach of spring ; 

 and their young are found about the beginning of May. They 

 generally have four or five at a time ; and it is easy to distin- 

 guish among other mole-hills, that in which the female has 

 brought forth her young. These are made with much greater 

 art than the rest, and are usually larger. The female, in order 

 to form this retreat, begins by erecting the earth into a tolerably 

 spacious apartment, which is supported within by partitions, at 

 proper distances, that prevent the roof from falling. All round 

 this she works and beats the earth very tirm, so as to make it 

 capable of keeping out the rain, let it be never so violent. As 

 the hillock, in which this apartment is thus formed, is raised 

 above ground, the apartment itself is consequently aDove the 

 level of the plain, and, therefore, less subject to accidental slight 

 inundations. The place being thus fitted, she then procures 

 grass and dry leaves as a bed for her young. There they lie 

 secure from wet, and she continues to make their retreat equally 

 so from danger •, for all round this hill of her own raising, are 

 holes running into the earth, that part from the middle apart- 

 ment, like rays from a centre, and extend about fifteen feet in 

 every du-ection ; these resemble so many walks or chases, into 

 which the animal makes her subterraneous excursions, and sup- 

 plies her young with such roots or insects as she can provide : 

 but they contribute stiU more to the general safety ; for as the 

 mole is very quick of hearing, the instant she perceives her little 

 habitation attacked, she takes to her burrow, and unless the 

 earth be dug away by several men at once, she and her young 

 always make good a retreat. 



The mole is scarcely found, except in cultivated countries-, 

 the varieties are but few. That which is found in Virginia, re- 

 sembles the common mole, except in colour, which is black, 



1 Euffon. 



