144 Hillside. 



advantage to it in its burrowing and tunnelling operations. 

 Its food consists of worms and grubs that live underground, 

 and, by ridding the fields of many pests, it is one of the 

 farmer's best friends. Each mole makes for itself a kind of 

 fortress, generally a raised mound, in which are two circular 

 galleries, one above the other, and connected with each other 

 by passages. Within the lower gallery is a hollow chamber, 

 whilst from it a large number of underground passages are 

 made in various directions, the whole being usually joined 

 at their extremities by another passage forming a sort of 

 irregular curve. From this central chamber the mole 

 branches out in various directions in search of food, and 

 throws up the earth it excavates here and there along its 

 course, the little mounds being called molehills. 



But this does not look a very likely place for worms ; still 

 slugs, snails, lizards and even frogs sometimes form the diet 

 of this fierce little creature, which will scratch most vehe- 

 mently when disturbed. 



There is a great deal of variation in the colour of the fur 

 of the mole ; occasionally it is almost black, still more rarely 

 cream-coloured or nearly white, but the usual colour is 

 brownish-black, with the belly paler, although the tint varies 

 considerably, according as you are looking at it along or 

 against the pile. The young moles are born, three or four 

 to a brood, in the early summer. For a few days they are 

 almost naked, but their fur rapidly grows, and in about three 

 weeks they are able to take care of and provide for them- 



We are not at all anxious to continue our journey yet, but 

 getting up to try my ankle, we wander round the edge of the 

 wood. Here, in the damper spots, are a number of beautiful 



