THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



231 



exterminators again are found among the carnivorous 

 mammals and birds. 



At the head of these protectors of agriculture must be 

 placed, at the i^resent day, the mole, the habits of which 

 have been for a long time misunderstood. 



Far from being hurtful to the products of the earth, 

 it is one of their most effective guardians ; occupied from 

 morn to night in devouring all the enemies of their roots, 

 it never attacks a root itself 



The food of the mole is composed of cockchafer grubs. 



130. Common European Jlole — Talpa europrr^a (Linnjeus). 



of mole-crickets, and insects of all kinds. A naturalist 

 has calculated that a mole devours annually 20,000 grul^s. 

 But the animal on which it declares war most savagely of 

 all is the earth-worm. It is so voracious that it must eat 

 every six hours. No animal is so favoured in its carnivo- 

 rous instincts as the mole ; forty-four teeth studded Avith 

 points never cease working from morning to night. It* 

 requires nourishment to such an extent, that if deprived 



