422 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



scratches itself all over incessantly, as if troubled by parasites. Pat it 

 on the grass. It did not burrow into the ground, but only under the 

 grass, which was rather long. When put on a flower-bed it covered itself 

 up in half a minute by my watch. Dug it out and placed it on a hard path, 

 along which it scuttled quickly ; did its best to turn and bite when picked 

 up by the skin behind the shoulders. 



6.15. Put it into a large empty packing-case. (I brought the case 

 indoors, and watched the proceedings as I had tea.) In fifteen minutes it 

 became less timid, and took no notice of being scratched on the back; very 

 restless, though squeaking sensibly lessened ; scratching continually as 

 before. Tried to climb up the corners of the box, always falling back. Put 

 some worms and slugs (Arion ater and Agriolimax agrestis) and a saucer of 

 water on the floor of the box ; of these it took no notice, continuing as 

 restless as ever. It ' scuttles ' (not walks or runs) on the tips of its front 

 paws, using its hind legs very like a hedgehog. 



6.30. It seized a worm with its front paws, quickly finding the end, which 

 it began to crunch greedily for about half-an-inch, and then resumed its 

 scratching and efforts to escape. 



6.45. Similar performance with another half-inch of worm. 



7 p.m. Finished last inch of worm. Increased efforts to climb corners 

 till 7.30. I had put in a large worm eight inches long ; it ate half-an-inch 

 immediately. 



7.14. More than half the worm eaten at intervals of about three 

 minutes, always from an end. It will not sit still for its portrait. 



7.40. Last half-inch of large worm eaten. Takes no notice of me as 

 I sit watching it and moving about — in fact, it is practically blind ; nor 

 does it take notice of obstacles as it scuttles about— not even of a lighted 

 taper three-quarters of an inch from its nose. Occasionally handles aud 

 smells the slugs, but does not eat them. 



8 p.m. Turned it on to the flower-bed again, when it burrowed out of 

 sight in half a minute, made its way under the surface for a yard in three 

 minutes, when it went deeper and disappeared. Squeaks (of delight?) were 

 to be heard till it went deeper. Large worms came up all round it as it 

 burrowed, as if they knew what their fate would be if they stayed. What 

 struck me was the continual activity of the little beast; it was not still for 

 a second during the whole time I had it; every movement was quick and 

 restless, showing no appearance of calm. Whatever it did, it did with all 

 its might— eat, scratch, climb or scuttle. It did not drink any of the water. 



May 29th. Same Mole (presumably) found dead in the garden near 

 where it was turned out last night./ — Lionel E. Adams (Penistoue, near 

 Sheffield). 



[Observations made on animals in captivity can never be so satisfactory 

 us in a state of nature. It is well known that moles are very voracious, 



