98 THE MUSK RAT. 
en from one feeding ground to another, and from which the different shafts 
radiate. 
But the finest efforts of talpine architecture are to be found in the central 
fortress, from which the various roads diverge, and the nest which the maternal 
Mole forms for the security of her young. 
The fortress is of a very peculiar construction, and is calculated to permit the 
ingress or egress of the Mole from almost any direction, so that when its 
acute senses give notice of the approach of an enemy, it can make its retreat 
without difficulty. 
The first operation is to build a tolerably large hill of compact and well- 
trodden earth. Near the summit of this mound the excavator runs a circular 
gallery, and another near the bottom, connecting the two galleries with five 
short passages. It then burrows into the centre of the mound, and digs a 
moderately large spherical hole, which it connects with the lower gallery by 
three passages. A very large passage, which is a continuation of the high- 
road, is then driven into the spherical chamber by dipping under the lower 
gallery, and is connected with the circular chamber from below. Lastly, the 
Mole drives a great number of runs, which radiate from the rest in all direc- 
tions, and which all open into the lower circular gallery. It will be seen 
from this short description, that if a Mole should be surprised in its nest, it 
can withdraw through its central chamber and so reach the high road at 
once, or can slip through either of the short connecting galleries and escape 
into any of the numerous radiatory runs. 
In the central or middle chamber of the edifice the Mole places a quantity 
of dried grass or leaves, upon which it sleeps during its hours of repose. This 
complicated room is seldom used during the summer months, as at that time 
the Mole prefers to live in one of the ordinary hillocks. 
The nest which the female contrives is not so complicated as the fortress, 
but is well adapted for its purpose. The hillock in which the nest is made is 
always a very large one, and is generally placed at some distance from the 
fortress. Its interior is very large, and is generally filled with dried grass, 
moss, or other similar substances, and it is said that in some of these nests 
have been found certain roots on which the young Moles can feed. This state- 
ment, however, is scarcely credible. The young are usually born about April, 
but their appearance in the worldis not so determinately settled as that of many 
animals, as young Moles are found continually from March until August. 
The average of their number is four or five, although as many as seven 
young have been found inone nest. There is but one brood in a year. 
The colour of the Mole is usually of a blackish grey, but it is extremely 
variable in the tinting of its fur, and it is not uncommon to find in a single 
locality specimens of every hue from brown to white. There are specimens 
in the British Museum of almost every tint, and I have long had in my 
possession a cream-coloured mole-skin, which .was obtained I believe in Wilt- 
shire, as it was furnished by a mole-catcher that resided in that county. The 
fur is so beautifully smooth and soft that it has sometimes, though rarely, 
been employed as an article of wearing apparel, or used as a light and delicate 
coverlet. The fur, or “felt,” is best and most glossy if the animal is taken in 
the winter. 
PASSING in a regular gradation from the moles to the shrews and hedge- 
hogs, we pause for a while at the powerfully scented animal that is called, by 
virtue of its perfumed person, the MuSK RaT of India, and is also known by 
the titles of MONDJOUROU, and SONDELI. 
This animal is a native of various parts of India, and is very well known 
on account of the extremely powerful scent which exudes from certain glands 
that are situated in the under parts of the body and on the flanks. 
