20 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



into these subterranean passages, and 

 in this way maintain themselves. Al- 

 though a Mole may keep one particular 



YOUNG MOLES IN NEST. 



piece of ground for himself, his mate, 

 or young, the runs that connect one 

 field with another or communicate with 

 water are regarded as common property. 

 In making a burrow it is not always 

 necessary and especially so in fairly 

 loose earth to throw up a hillock. It 

 has been said that the Mole's movements 

 are so quick that he can " swim through 

 the earth." This is, of course, a poetical 

 exaggeration. I have on more than one 



occasion torn the earth up after the 

 animal and overtaken it with ease. 



There are one or two interesting 

 questions that need an answer in regard 

 to this wonderful creature's economy. 

 For instance, how does a Mole sub- 

 sist during frosty weather, when worms 

 retire to a considerable depth and lie 

 curled up in a more or less dormant con- 

 dition ? It has been stated that the 

 animal makes store-chambers and places 

 in them worms which it has disabled. 

 Incredible as this may appear, I am 

 inclined to think there is some germ of 

 truth in it. On one occasion I placed 

 a dog Mole inside a large washing tin 

 containing mould only an inch deep 

 in order that I might watch his actions 

 without difficulty. He fed upon worms 

 until he was completely satiated, 

 and then bit the heads and tails of 

 those he was unable to consume and 

 stored them all in one place in his prison 

 yard and covered them with mould. 



Moles make large nests of dry grass 

 and bring forth four or five young 

 ones at a litter. A nesting hillock may 

 always be distinguished even at a dis- 

 tance by its larger size. 



