3182 Tue ZooLocist—Aveust, 1872. 
Brewin is quite right in recommending that the mole-hills should always be 
spread abroad on the land: I know of no more valuable top-dressing, and 
certainly none can be procured so cheaply. That they are unsightly when 
allowed to remain, and that they are very inconvenient in mowing grass 
and corn, I candidly admit, but is it wise to “kill the goose that lays the 
golden egg?” Would it not be much better to patiently spread the hillocks, 
and abide the time when the moles will voluntarily seek other feeding- 
grounds? Moles, like human beings, can in no wise subsist without food, 
and when they had thinned or exterminated the larve and pup of our 
under-ground insect pests, would naturally travel onwards in search of 
other “happy hunting-grounds.” The mole-catcher, with his home-made 
wooden traps, is perhaps the oldest institution of its kind in England,— 
certainly more ancient than the rat-catcher or truftle-digger,—yet, Con- 
servative as I am, I would gladly welcome the day when our agriculturists 
would forbid this worthy (?) the privilege, and I may add patronage, in 
carrying on his most injurious trade. What surprises me is where we 
continue to get our moles from under such an universal persecution: how 
and where do they contrive to propagate their species? Even in woods you 
see the, to me, offensive bunch of dead moles hung up in some conspicuous 
place, such as at the crossing of two rides. I sincerely trust that you, to 
whom all farmers are so much indebted, will never cease to advocate the 
preservation of this most useful but persecuted animal.—Henry Reeks ; 
East Woodhay, July 3, 1872. 
The Common Mole.—I have never myself seen the mole actually heaving 
its hills, but I have often examined the tumuli, and have been able to quite 
understand how the earth is thrown up through a very small orifice in the 
ground so as to form the tumuli. In fact, the deposit of earth would 
appear to have been formed by a deposit from above. I wrote to my 
nephew, who is very observant of these things, and you may give the 
portion of his letter referring to it in the ‘ Zoologist’ if you think it worth 
while.—E. H. Rodd; Penzance, July 11, 1872. 
The Common Mole.—I am all at sea about moles. Ihave seen them 
heaving often, but have not the smallest idea how the operation is per- 
formed: the heap rises gradually with a motion from the centre, exactly as 
flour does in a pan with yeast; but, looking at the position of a mole’s feet, 
I see no possible way for him to make the hill, unless he stands almost on 
his head and throws up the earth above him, or else that there is some 
peculiar conformation about the fore wrists which enables him to do so, but 
anatomists might tell us more about that. I have seen moles in wet or 
rather dewy evenings hunting above ground, like a dog, for worms or slugs, 
I suppose.—F’. R. Rodd; July 7, 1872. — 
The Common Mole.—In regard to Mr. Brewin’s question about moles 
(S. 8. 3143), I may state that my opinion is that these animals are most 
i 
