158 



MAMMALS. 



frequently betrays its presence by the fussy habit of snuffling 

 and blowing when burrowing for grubs amongst thick herbage.' 

 Mr. Thomson adds : — 'Among us it has no bad reputation for its 

 reputed malpractice of sucking eggs either in the hen-house or 

 the game-preserve.' 



Family TALPIDiE. 

 Talpa europaea, L. Mole. 



Local Name. — Moudewort (Gordon). 



Abundant everywhere, going far up the glens and even on to the 

 hill-sides. Numbers must be destroyed on the low lands along 

 the river-sides during heavy floods, but we fancy a good many 

 save themselves by swimming, if not too far under ground at the 

 time, nor too far from a bank, as we have seen them swimming 

 well on occasions. 



As long ago as the date of the O.S.A. it is recorded on Spey 

 (parish of Kirkmichael), though not mentioned anywhere along 

 the Deveron valley; but Edward includes it as common in 

 Banflfshire. 



Its present distribution is very general, and it is an abundant 

 species in the Deveron valley and as far up the river Avon as 

 Delnabo. 



Mr. E. Thomson informs us ' that the Mole was so abundant 

 at one time that the local mole-catcher was paid the sum of 

 thirty-five shillings, at the rate of 2d. per tail, for Moles de- 

 stroyed in one season on the Mains of Glenferness.' Mr. R. 

 Thomson continues : — ' This same man informs us that, during a 

 pretty long experience, in addition to the reputed white moles 

 occurring at Dalness, Cawdor, he found in his traps only one 

 pure albino in 1877 at Milton of Moyness ; two grey specimens 

 in 1872 at Drummin, in Edinkillie, and the same year another 

 couple with pale yellow bellies on the farm of Carnoch, in the 

 Streens.' We are pleased to find also, from Mr. E. Thomson's 

 notes, that 'the farmers of Ardclach are too sensible of the 

 undoubted benefits conferred upon agriculture by the incessant 

 toils of this humble field-labourer to advocate, as in some dis- 

 tricts, a policy of complete extermination towards the whole 

 race.' 



