226 



NATURE S TEACHINGS. 



spade, the one being the ordinary garden tool, and the other a 

 rather curious implement which is in great use among the 

 metal mines of Cornwall. The use of the ordinary spade is too 

 familiar to need explanation, and we come to the Miner's spade. 

 This implement is used rather as a shovel than as a spade, the 

 peculiar bend near the blade preventing the foot from being 

 used as a means of forcing the instrument into the ground. 

 In fact, it is not meant for the same office as that which pertains 

 to the ordinary spade, neither can it be handled in the same 

 way. 



In Devonshire there is a kind of spade in general use very 

 much resembling the mining spade, but having a very long 



FOOT OP AARD-VARK. FOOT OF MOLE-CRICKET. 

 FOOT OF MOLE. 



handle without any crutch at the end. The natural conse- 

 quence of this shape is, that the spade cannot be used in the 

 ordinary way, neither can it penetrate the earth to any 

 depth. It can " peel " the ground, so to speak, and can cut 

 away successive layers of soil. But as for digging "two 

 spits deep," or even one spit, the spade would be absolutely 

 incapable of such a task, no matter how strong might be the 

 hands that wield it. As for the foot, it may be put out of the 

 question. 



We will now turn to a few examples of spades in the world 

 of Nature. 



The lowest figure represents the fore-paw of the Mole, 



