MOLE. 123 



extending in search of food, and which constitute, in 

 fact, its hunting-ground. The fortress is formed under 

 a large hillock, which is always raised in a situation of 

 safety and protection ; either under a bank, against the 

 foundation of a wall, at the root of a tree, or in some 

 similar locality. The earth, of which the dome covering 

 this curious habitation is composed, is rendered exceed- 

 ingly strong and solid, by being pressed and beaten by 

 the Mole in forming it. It contains a circular gallery 

 within the base, which communicates with a smaller one 

 above by five nearly equidistant passages ; and the 

 domicile or chamber is placed within the lower and be- 

 neath the upper circular gallery, to which last it has access 

 by three similar passages. From the chamber extends 

 another road, the direction of which is at first down- 

 wards for several inches ; it then rises again to open 

 into the high road of the encampment. From the ex- 

 ternal circular gallery open about nine other passages, 

 the orifices of which are never formed opposite to those 

 which connect the outer with the inner and upper 

 gallery : these extend to a greater or less distance, and, 

 according to De Vaux, return, each taking an irregular 

 semicircular route, and opening into the high road at 

 various distances from the fortress. Such is a very hasty 

 description of this most singular structure ; and nothing 

 surely can be imagined more admirably calculated to 

 ensure the security or the retreat of the inhabitant, than 

 such an arrangement of internal routes of communica- 

 tion as this. The chamber communicating beneath 

 directly with the road, and above with the upper gallery, 

 — this with the lower by five passages, and the latter 

 ao-ain with the road by no less than nine, — exhibit 

 altogether a complication of architecture which may 

 rival the more celebrated erections of the Beaver. 



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