THE COMMON MOLE. 



which is very fhort. Its head is furnifhed with fmall orifices inftead of ears, 

 and terminates in a long nofe. Its eyes are extremely fmall, and totally 

 hidden by the fur. Its upper jaw contains fix cutting and two canine teeth, 

 and the lower has eight of the former and two of the latter. Its fore feet, 

 which are placed obliquely, are very broad, naked, formed like hands, 

 and divided into five toes pointed with flrong claws. Its hind feet are 

 confiderably lefs, but divided in a fimilar manner. Its fkin is fo exceedingly 

 tough as fcarcely to be cut through. Its hair is fhort, clofe, and fofter than 

 the finer! velvet ; generally of a black colour, but occafionally diverfified 

 with white fpots, and fometimes perfectly white. 



The Mole burrows rapidly with its fore feet, ufing its hind ones at the 

 fame time for the purpofe of throwing back the earth. It enjoys the fenfes 

 of hearing and fmelling in an exquifite degree; the former of which enables 

 it to elude deftrudion by a fwift retreat, and the latter direds it to its food, 

 confining of roots, worms, infects, &c. It proves very injurious to gardens 

 and other cultivated grounds, by turning up the foil, and loofening the roots 

 of plants and flowers, for which reafon its deftrudion is of great importance 

 to hufbandmen and gardeners. 



In the vernal feafon the female prepares a commodious apartment 

 beneath the furface of her higher! hillock, and, after contriving feveral 

 pafiages in different directions, for the purpofe of concealment or the 

 convenience of excurfion, fhe brings forth her young, by four or five at a 

 time, in a warm bed of mofs and herbage. 



The adivity of this animal is moll obfervable before rain, or at the 

 commencement of a thaw, when the worms are in motion; but it feldom 

 raifes any hillocks in dry weather, as it is then compelled to penetrate deeper 

 in queft of its accuftomed prey. If furprifed on the furface of the ground, 

 it generally difappears fo fuddenly as to preclude the poflibility of prevention; 

 but when taken it utters a violent fcream. 



Animals of this defcription are found in moft parts of Europe,. Ireland 

 excepted, and in the fouthern parts of Rullia and Siberia as far as the river 

 Lena. Some varieties are alfo faid to inhabit the Cape of Good Hope and 

 North America, 



