The "Homt." 139 



THE "HOONT." 



A striking feature of our fields just now, more es- 

 pecially the pastures, is the number of mole-hills, or, as 

 here called, " tumps," observable all over them. I never 

 beheld them in such profusion'; on some meadows so thick 

 that there is almost as much of the surface covered with 

 these dark, circular heaps as with the grassy turf around 

 them ; all recently thrown up too, or ^t least since the 

 commencement of the frosty weather. Some are so large 

 it seems almost incredible they could have been made by 

 a creature so diminutive as the mole, taking the time 

 into account ; for one which I noticed in particular bore 

 resemblance to a barrowful of loose mould ''dumped" 

 down on the grass, its freshness showing that it had been 

 the work of the night or day preceding. Not only itself, 

 but a row of others on each side indicating the " ran," 

 all equally recent, proclaimed the tunnelling to have beeti 

 done by this wonderful navvy within a period of twelve, 

 or, at most, twenty-four hours ! And this when the 

 earth was frozen to a depth of several inches ! For 

 during the December snow, which fell upon a frost 

 already gone deep into the ground, I saw many mole- 

 hills freshly thrown up. There is much in the natural 

 history and habits of this curious quadruped which needs 

 explanation. Even its mode of burrowing, if I mistake 

 not, has never been clearly comprehended. No more the 

 fact that, passing through what sort of soil it may — the 

 ferruginous earth of the red sandstone, or the white tilth 

 of the chalk formations, squeezing through ground wet 

 or dry — its soft, silky coat comes out unstained and un- 

 sullied, as if from a wrapping of tissue paper. I hope to 

 have an opportunity of returning to this subject, which 



