MOLE AND HEDGEHOG, 



77 



foundation in fact. The senses of hearing and smell are 

 acute in the mole, but its subterranean habits afford little 

 scope for that of sight, which is but feebly developed. 



The legs are short and powerful. The fore-limbs are 

 perfect digging instruments, being highly muscular, fur- 

 nished with strong claws, and so set that the palms are 

 directed outwards. The snout is long and tapering and the 

 mouth is set with sharp teeth, which are well adapted to 

 seize and masticate the worms and insects upon which the 

 animal feeds. The mole conducts its mining operations on 

 a definite plan. The essential parts of the structure are a 

 central chamber and two circular galleries, the larger being 

 on a level with the nest, and the smaller being some inches 

 above it. From the upper gallery three passages lead to the 

 nest, while the two galleries communicate by several more 

 or less vertical passages. From the basis of these galleries the 

 mole tunnels the earth in various directions in search of food. 



During the cold weather the central nest is always found 

 to be plentifully stored with food — generally earthworms 

 — which the mole has disabled but not killed, and these 

 are doubtless for the use of the parent and not of the 

 young, which are suckled until able to forage for themselves. 



The misdeeds of the mole are so obvious, and the benefits 

 it confers so modestly concealed, that its general popularity 

 is little to be wondered at. In the garden it must be 

 admitted to be an intolerable nuisance, but on the land it 

 is probable that its utter extermination would lead to very 

 grave consequences. 



The mole is not only a voracious destroyer of earth- 

 worms, but also of many of the larvae which annually do so 

 much injury to the roots of the crops. 



THE HEDGEHOG {Ermaceus EuropmLs). 



The hedgehog leads such a retiring life that we seldom 

 hear anything about his manners and customs, and few 



