Class I. MOLE. I6l 



It is supposed that the verdant circles so 

 often seen in grass grounds, called by country 

 people fairy rings, are owing to the operations 

 of these animals, who at certain seasons perform 

 their burrowings by circumgyrations, which 

 loosening the soil, give the surface a greater 

 fertility and rankness of grass than the other 

 parts within or without the ring. 



The mole breeds in the spring, and brings 

 four or five young at a time ; it makes its nest 

 of moss, and that always under the largest 

 hillock, a little below the surface of the ground. 

 It is observed to be most active, and to cast 

 up most earth, immediately before rain, and 

 in the winter before a thaw, because at those 

 times the worms and insects begin to be in mo- 

 tion, and approach the surface ; on the con- 

 trary, in very dry weather, this animal seldom 

 or never forms any hillocks, as it penetrates 

 deep after its prey, which at such seasons re- 

 tires far into the ground. During summer it 

 runs in search of snails and worms in the night 

 time among the grass, which makes it the prey 

 of owls. The mole shews great art in skinning 

 a worm, which it always does before it eats it ; 



vile animalculum percipere, ut haheant quad ipsi invideant, qui 

 in hac supremas vitae sues delicias collocant. Rati syn. quad. 

 238, 23Q. 



VOL. I. M 



