THE MOLE. 



THIS animal is common in every part of Europe, 

 except Ireland and Greece, Orkney, and Shetland. It 

 is not met with in any of the Hebrides, excepting Bute ; 

 and is unknown, in some of the northern and western 

 districts of the Highlands of Scotland, but is distributed 

 over all the other parts of Britain, from the level of the 

 sea to the height, in some places, of a thousand feet or 

 more, although it is more abundant in the lower and 

 richer grounds. 



It exhibits several varieties as to colour. In the 

 loamy parts of Richmond Park, the moles, which are 

 there most abundant, are invariably black ; but others 

 of a different hue, have been taken in the wetter 

 and more boggy places, where there is white sand be- 

 neath. In the same part, a white, or rather a cream- 

 coloured mole has been caught. Mr. Jesse saw a grey 

 one with an orange-coloured belly ; and was assured by 

 a mole-catcher, that he once caught a mole that was 

 perfectly orange, except the head. In former times 



