386 Scientific Intelligence. — JVatural History. 



the secretion in such cases, he found that it was very acid, that phos- 

 phoric acid and phosphate of lime were very abundant, and that the 

 uric acid had almost entirely disappeared, and been replaced by ro- 

 saic -^cid in large quantities. — Idem. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



1. JVatural History of the Mole. — Observations relating to the na- 

 tural history of this animal, have lately been made and published in 

 the Mem. du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, XVII. 193, by M. 

 Flourens, from which the following facts have been abstracted. 

 Two moles were put into a vessel with earth at the bottom, and with 

 roots of carrot and horse radish for food. The next morning only 

 one mole was visible, the roots were not eaten, and on searching the 

 earth, the skin alone of the other was found. It was opened through- 

 out its length, beginning at the belly, and the bones and flesh were 

 eaten. 



The other mole was put into an empty vessel ; it was excessively ag- 

 itated and active, and appeared to be very hungry. A sparrow without 

 its wing feathers was put to it, which at first pecked at the nose of the 

 mole when the latter approached it, but after two or three times, the 

 mole darted on to the sparrow, thrust its nose into the entrails of the 

 bird, and detached the skin, at the same time devouring the flesh with 

 a degree of fury. Putting a glass with water into the vessel, the 

 mole drank abundantly once, and again during its meal on the spar- 

 row. The presence of the observer did not appear to interfere, in 

 the least, with the motions of the animal. 



The remains of the sparrow being removed, the mole was left to 

 itself; an hour after, it was lying quiet; in five or six hours it was 

 very much agitated, and appeared exceedingly weak, its belly pressed 

 inwards, its sides depressed, its appearance breathless, its snout in con- 

 tinual motion — it appeared starved and ready to die. Another live 

 sparrow was put towards the animal, who this time instantly jumped 

 at it, and began to devour it as before at the entrails. After eating 

 a little, it drank, became of its usual size, and remained quiet. Next 

 morning all but the skin of the sparrow had disappeared, but still the 

 mole seemed hungry and agitated ; a frog was put in, the mole in- 

 stantly fell upon and devoured it, beginning at the entrails as before. 

 The mole was then left until it was very hungry, after which a toad 

 was put to it: the mole instantly perceived it, but each time that it 



