MOLE. 131 



has ceased to yield it sufficient nourishment ; and occa- 

 sionally it would appear to take the water merely for 

 the purpose of enjoying the luxury of a bath. 



We have ourselves seen a Mole in the Warwickshire 

 Avon evidently swimming about for its amusement, 

 and apparently enjoying itself very much, although 

 it appeared to be very careful not to go far from the 

 bank, taking five or six short turns in the water, to 

 and from its hole, which was even with the water's 

 edge. 



The Mole, like all other voracious animal-feeders, re- 

 quires to drink frequently. Hence, where there is a 

 colony of Moles using the same high road, a run is 

 always made towards the nearest ditch or pond ; and 

 when this cannot conveniently be reached, we have Mr. 

 Jackson's authority for stating, that the animal sinks 

 deep perpendicular shafts, at the bottom of which water 

 is always found, to which the Mole has easy access. 

 Sometimes, according also to the observations of Mr. 

 Jackson, these wells are full to the brim. 



If, in the foregoing account of those habits of the 

 Mole which have reference to the preservation of its in- 

 dividual existence, we have been struck with the ardour 

 and perseverance of its character, — with the fierceness 

 and voracity of its hunger, and the laborious and indefa- 

 tigable toil employed to satisfy that appetite, it is found 

 to exhibit equal violence in the ardour of the sexual 

 passion, and equal pertinacity and boldness in its pur- 

 suit. The tracks by which the male pursues his mate 

 are numerous and curiously divaricating ; they are very 

 superficial, and are made with great rapidity. They are 

 termed by the French naturalists " traces d' amour ; " and 

 by our English Mole-catchers, "coupling runs," or 

 '• rutting angles." As the males are much more nume- 



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