135 



THE MOLE. 



THIS animal is in some places, but more particularly 

 in the north of England, called a Want, and contrary to 

 the habits of most other vermin, lives chiefly under- 

 ground, doing great mischief in gardens, &c. When 

 'you find moles come, observe the outsides for their angle 

 or run ; or if there is a path in a field, it is very pro- 

 bable that they have a run across it ; or they will fre- 

 quently have one at a gateway. These are what are 

 called the main runs, about two or three inches under 

 the earth, and may easily be found by turning up the 

 earth, along which they will run ten times in a day. 

 When you have discovered one of these runs, you must 

 tread in the earth tight, and when you come that way 

 again, see whether it is as you left it ; if you perceive 

 the mole has been along, then set a trap, by which 

 means several may be caught in an afternoon, these 

 being their main roads out of one part of the ground to 

 the other ; it will be of little use to set a trap in any 

 other angles or runs. In the spring, when they run 

 near the surface of the earth, they make a great many 

 different angles in search of worms, on which, and 

 chaffers, they chiefly feed. 



If they make hills in your fields or garden, take 

 notice of the places before mentioned, and set a trap in 

 the following manner. Take a piece of board half an 



