TALPIDA 631 
wards, and each with five subequal digits armed with strong flattened 
claws. The hind feet are long and narrow, and the toes are pro- 
vided with slender claws. The body is densely covered with soft, 
erect, velvety fur, the hairs being uniform in length and thickness, 
except on the muzzle and short tail. The colour of the fur is 
generally black, with a more or less grayish tinge, or brownish-black, 
but various paler shades up to pure white have been observed. 
The food of the Mole consists chiefly of the earth-worm, in 
pursuit of which it forms its well-known underground excavations. 
Its habits were many years ago studied and described by M. Henri 
le Court. Like many other mammals, the Mole has a lair to which 
it may retire for security. This consists of a central nest formed 
under a hillock, placed in some protected situation, as under a bank, 
or between the roots of trees. The nest, which is lined with dried 
grass or leaves, communicates with the main run by four passages, 
of which only one joins it directly, leading downwards for a short 
distance and then ascending again. The other three are directed 
upwards and communicate at regular intervals with a circular 
gallery constructed in the upper part of the hillock, which in turn 
communicates by five passages leading downwards and outwards 
with another much larger gallery placed lower down on a level 
with the central nest, from which passages proceed outwards in 
different directions, one only communicating directly with the main 
run, while the others, curving round, either soon join or end blindly. 
The main run is somewhat wider than the animal’s body ; its walls 
are smooth, and formed of closely compressed earth, the depth 
varying according to the nature of the soil, but ordinarily from 4 
to 6 inches. Along this tunnel the animal passes backwards and 
forwards several times daily, and here traps are laid by mole-catchers 
for its capture. From the main run numerous passages are formed 
on each side, along which the animal hunts its prey, throwing 
out the soil in the form of mole-hills. The Mole is one of the 
most voracious of mammals, and, if deprived of food, is said to die 
in from ten to twelve hours. Almost any kind of flesh is eagerly 
devoured by captive Moles, which have been seen by various 
observers, as if maddened by hunger, to attack animals nearly as 
large as themselves, such as birds, lizards, frogs, and even snakes ; 
toads, however, they will not touch, and no form of vegetable food 
attracts their notice. If two Moles be confined together without 
food, the weaker is invariably devoured by the stronger. Moles 
take readily to the water, in which respect they resemble their 
representatives on the North American continent. Bruce, writing 
in 1793, remarks that he saw a Mole paddling towards a small 
island in the Loch of Clunie, 180 yards from land, on which he 
noticed mole-hills. 
The sexes come together about the second week in March, and 
