The Mole. 5 i 



with worms. It is almost impossible to describe the 

 ferocity with which it devours its prey. 



As soon as a worm is put into the cage, it detects 

 the presence of food as if by magic, springs upon its 

 victim, and rapidly forces it into its mouth with the 

 fore-paws, giving meanwhile a series of rapid crunch- 

 ing bites, and causing the unfortunate worm to dis- 

 appear with marvellous celerity. 



No sooner is the first worm swallowed than it is 

 on the look-out for a second, which is speedily dis- 

 posed of in a like manner. So voracious is its appetite, 

 that it is said to be unable to endure a fast of more 

 than three hours. Among the peasantry it is commonly 

 reported that the animal alternately works for three 

 hours and sleeps for three hours, and this seems very 

 likely to be the case. 



The mole seems to suffer greatly from thirst, and 

 always digs a series of wells in different parts of his 

 burrows, to which it can repair when in need of 

 moisture. 



The passions of the mole are all of the fiercest 

 nature, and when enraged, it seems utterly devoid of 

 fear, attacking an enemy far superior in size to itself, 

 and fighting with the greatest ferocity until death 

 puts an end to the scene. One mole was even 

 known to turn upon the individual who was holding 

 it, and inflict a severe wound, refusing to quit its 

 hold until almost killed by the teeth of its victim, no 

 other means proving of avail. 



If, by any chance, two strange moles should happen 

 to meet in a burrow, there is but one invariable ter- 

 mination to their encounter. They fight, and the 

 conqueror devours its vanquished foe. 



The rather unsightly although useful ' molehills/ 

 which are so plentiful in many places, serve to show 

 the course which has been followed by the mole, the 



