THE COMMON MOLE. 3C)9 



warmth of the sun can be supposed to affect them. 

 — Hence one method of destroying them consists in 

 attending to them early, before sunrise ; at that time 

 the earth or the grass may frequently be seen to move 

 over them ; and with a small light spade theh- retreat 

 may be cut off by striking it into the ground behind 

 them, and they may be immediately dug up "*." 



If a fresh Mole-hill, says another writer, is found 

 by itself, that appears to have no communication 

 witli any other, (which is always the casewhen the 

 Mole has worked from the surface downwards, as it 

 frequently does in endeavouring to procure a more 

 convenient habitation ;) after the hill has been turned 

 up by a spade, a bucket of water should be poured 

 over the mouth of the passage. By these means the 

 animal, which is at no great distance, will be oblig- 

 ed to come forth, and may be easily caught with the 

 hand.— It is very easy to discover whether a hill has 

 any communication with another ; by applying the 

 ear to it, and then coughing or making a loud noise : 

 if it has no communication, the terrified animal may 

 be heard by its motion. Jt will then be almost 

 impossible for it to escape ; and water may ci- 

 ther be poured into the hole, or the earth may be 

 turned up with a spade till the Mole is found, for 

 it does not often go deeper into the earth than from 

 fifteen to eig-hteen inches. 



In the moist beds of a garden, (which it is vcrv 

 fond of,) the Mole makes a passage at the depth of 

 scarcely an inch below tlie surface. In this case it 



Darwin's Ph} to!ui:ia, 370. 



