THE COMMON MOLE. 45 



rows, and runs on the surface of the earth at night, in search of 

 food. It is commonly said that it thus runs for one month; 

 but that depends much on the dryness or wetness of the season.* 

 Few animals will bite more savagely than the mole, especially at 

 a certain time of the year. When fighting with each other, they 

 will hold like the bull-dog. When a boy I used to save the live 

 moles for the purpose of seeing them fight. For this barbarous 

 work my fingers suffered greatly. At one time I was obliged to 

 use my teeth in order to loose the hold of one of them from my 

 hand, the other not being sufficient for that purpose. I have 

 frequently caught them with their flesh torn in various parts 

 with fighting. It is often said that the mole will die should it 

 lose one drop of blood ; but this is incorrect. Once, when 

 trying to throw up a mole with my mole-spade, I cut off one of 

 its hind- feet, and yet it escaped. Some months after this, I 

 caught the same mole in a trap, with its stump healed up and 

 sound." f Mr. Hawkins says that when the fall traps, which are 

 in use near Monmouth, " remain for some length of time unin- 

 spected, the moles devour each other." + 



Mr. Couch says, that his observations lead him to think that 

 when moles change their quarters, the journey is made above 

 ground, and by night ; and, in this case, the mouth of the sub- 

 terranean passage will be found open. The same zealous natu- 

 ralist says, that " having procured a couple of lively moles, that 

 had not been at all injured, he placed them in a birdcage with 

 some straw, that he might study their actions. The snout, at 

 this time, appeared moist, capable of great variety of action, and 

 endued with fine sensibility ; "and the head, chest, and arms 

 capable of quick motion, at short turns, under the skin, as if 

 muscular action were independent of the motion of the integu- 

 ments. When placed in the cage, they immediately buried 

 themselves, heaving up the straw as they proceeded ; lifting it 



* Lovell, writing in 1661, also notices this fact: "In July," says he, 

 " they run upon the earth to seek food, worms being then scant." (Panzool. 

 p. 92.) J. H. F. 



t The Youth's Instructor, January, 1834. 



I The Gardeners' Magazine, ix. 80. 



