CUTAlfEOUS NEETE-TEEMII^ATIONS IN MAMMALS. 551 



to make up for the want of sigbt ; but little dependence ought to 

 be placed on such a statement until it be verified by histological 

 investigation of the organ. Our experience would lead us to the 

 opjDosite conclusion. Our Mole generally took a siesta of two 

 or three hours in the afternoon, sleeping curled up into a ball, 

 with its snout and head between the fore paws and under the body. 

 When in this condition considerable noise did not disturb it. 

 "When, however, it did awake, it was with a great start, like one 

 awakening out of a deep sleep and failing to recollect where he 

 was. Moreover we know that rustics often approach Moles 

 when they are shovelling the earth out of their burrows, and are 

 able to kick the animal out of the mound before their approach 

 is detected — a feat which a quick or even ordinary sense of hear- 

 ing ought to render impossible. Their cantankerousness of 

 temper is shown by their readiness to fight and eat each other ; 

 and it is this character, in conjunction with their stupidity, which 

 causes them to be caught in bhe simplest of traps. Their anger is 

 evidently aroused at finding their underground passage barred by 

 a rough piece of iron ; this they at once assault, and, pushing it 

 away, allow the iron jaws of the trap to close upon them. One 

 night our Mole made its escape and passed down through the 

 floor of the laboratory, so that when we entered in the morning 

 we could hear our pet digging under our feet. Finally it drove 

 a tunnel under the brick lintel of the doorway, and thus provided 

 for its retreat into the garden. Before, however, it could make 

 this strategic movement, we placed an ordinary mouse-cage or 

 box open near the hole, thinking thus to secure the creature. 

 When it again came to the hole of exit it appeared greatly en- 

 raged at finding the box obstructing its path ; and, not satisfied 

 with merely pushing it aside, it shoved the hated box much further 

 away than there was any necessity for: so much does passion 

 blind a Mole's senses. This headstrong display cost it its liberty ; 

 while its furious temper by no means improved on capture. 



It was amazingly fond of milk ; and when a saucerful was given, 

 it would plunge its head right into the mUk, ending generally by 

 rolling the whole body into it with as much earth as it could drag 

 along. It finally died, we suspect, from maoicion ; for although 

 we furnished it with food amply sufiicient for any other animal 

 of its size, this appeared insufiicient for the ravenous ajjpetite of 

 the Mole. The tissues of its body wer afterwards prepared with 



