204 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



earth which it has formed, it comes instantly to repair 

 them. The Mole is said to pant and blow, when with, its 

 muzzle and paws it pushes the earth to a mole-hill, or when 

 it forms a sort of oblong vault of moveable earth in the 

 place where its track has been intercepted. 



The male of this species is lustier and more vigorous 

 than the female. Its labours are easily recognised from the 

 volume and number of the hillocks which it raises. Those 

 of the female are smaller and less numerous. Those of the 

 young are small, imperfect, of a zig-zag form, and the chan- 

 nels or trenches which terminate each are nearly on a level 

 with the surface of the soil. It has been observed that the 

 hours of labour with the Mole are sunrise and sunset, 

 noon, nine in the morning, and nine at night. These ani- 

 mals are less eager at their work in winter than in summer. 

 Their activity ,is diminished during the frosty season, but 

 they do not fall into a torpid state as some writers have 

 erroneously imagined. 



At such periods they seek the warmest places, such as 

 the beds of gardens, and as soon as the cold becomes less 

 rigorous, they resume their work and remove the earth as 

 before. When the Moles begin to work, that the thaw is 

 not far distant is a common observation among the inha- 

 bitants of the country. 



The nutriment of the Moles consists in tender and suc- 

 culent roots, the bulbs of the Colchicus, also worms and 

 insects. Their season of love is the early spring. The 

 powerful means of propagation which nature has bestowed 

 on them animate their union with the liveliest ardour.. 

 The male and female have accordingly much attachment 

 for each other, and the latter has a peculiar tenderness for 

 her young. She prepares for them before-hand a particu- 

 lar retreat, which Buffon has described with equal elegance 

 and truth. " This abode," says this admirable painter of 

 nature, " is constructed with singular intelligence. The 



