26 CURIOUS HOMES AND THEIR TENANTS. 



or, if worsted in the battle, might plunge into un- 

 known depths of solid earth — the use of all this com- 

 plicated arrangement of tunnel is extremely problem- 

 atical, especially as the central chamber, it seems, is not 

 used as a retreat or sleeping place or nursery. The 

 mole usually sleeps about three hours, and is awake 

 for the same length of time, without regard to day or 

 night, but he sleeps in the passageways. The nursery 

 is a large chamber excavated where several passages 

 meet, so that, perhaps, if danger threatens, the mother 

 mole and her little ones can the more easily escape in 

 any direction along a ready-made tunnel. 



There is a peculiarity about the fur of a mole that 

 keeps it clean and glossy, no matter how much its 

 wearer covers it with loose soil or burrows in loam 

 or clay. The hairs when they issue from the skin are 

 very slender, thickening gradually as they extend, 

 and then tapering ofE again and again, thickening 

 throughout their entire length. This enables them 

 to lie evenly in any direction, backward or forward, 

 so that they always present a smooth, unbroken sur- 

 face to the soil with which they come in contact. The 

 mole, passing almost all its life in complete darkness, 

 is popularly supposed to be without eyes ; in fact, they 

 are so very minute and so entirely hidden in its fur, 

 and probably possess such imperfect power of vision, 

 that they are comparatively of small account in the 

 animal's physical make-up or his economy of life. 

 Though he has no more visible ears than eyes, for 

 external ears would soon become choked up with 

 earth, he is amply provided with the means both of 



