132 
MOL E. cut 
the furface of the ground. The mole is obferved 
to be moft active, and to caft up moft earth, im- : 
mediately before rain; and in the winter before | 
a thaw; becaufe at thofe times the worms and in-— 
fects begin to be in motion, and approach the fur-— 
face: on the contrary, in very dry weather, this 
animal feldom or never forms any hillocks, as it 
penetrates deep after its prey, which at fuch fea-— 
fons retires far into the ground. During fummer 
they run in fearch of {nails and worms in the night 
time among the erafs, which makes them the prey 
of owls. The mole fhews great art in fkinning a 
worm, which it always does before it eats it; ftrip- 
ping the {kin from end to end, and fqueezing out 
all the contents of the body. 
Thefe animals do incredible damage in gardens, 
and meadows; by loofening the roots of plants, 
flowers, grafs, corn, &c. Mortimer fays, that the 
roots of Palma chrifti and white hellebore, made 
into a pafte, and laid in their holes, will deftroy 
them. They feem not to have many enemies among 
other animals, except in Scotland, where (if we may 
depend on Sir Robert Sibbald) there is a kind of 
moufe, with a black back, that deftroys moles * 
We have been affured that moles are not found in 
Ireland. | 
* 8:6. Hift. Scot. Part ui. p. 12. I did mot find it wag 
known at prefent, 
Fiye 
