THE COMMON MOLE OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



9 



twice to facilitate their penetrating into the burrow when the trap is 

 later sprung. It is also desirable, in setting any of the traps, to 

 depress only that part of the mole ridge that is immediately beneath 

 the trigger pan, using the hand instead of the foot for this purpose. 

 A little earth may be built up snugly under the pan if necessary. 

 Avoid treading upon other parts of the runways. It will pay to 

 visit the traps at least twice a day. 



■ The persistence of the mole in repairing breaks in his runways 

 (fig. 2) is equaled only by that of the spider in mending its torn web. 

 One can take advantage of this known trait not only in selecting 

 locations for trapping, but in planning the capture of the animal 

 alive. Though requiring more time and attention than trapping, 

 the method of catching moles by surprising them at work is fairly 

 practicable. In following' 



this plan 

 open up 5 



Fig. 4. 



one should 

 or 6 feet of 

 ridge in each of the sev- 

 eral distinct runway 

 systems and make the 

 rounds of subsequent 

 inspection every few- 

 minutes. When a mole 

 is found repairing a 

 break he can be tossed 

 out with a shovel and 

 dispatched. 



Repeated leveling of 

 the mole ridges on a 

 lawn by means of a 

 roller, not only tends to 

 discourage the animals from making further incursions, but prevents 

 that injury to the grass roots which otherwise would result and 

 restores to the lawn its more sightly appearance. 



ECONOMIC STATUS. 



As to the economic status of the mole it may be said that by its 

 activities it commends itself to farmer and gardener for reasons 

 other than that of its food habits. One of the most abundant of 

 smaU mammals, for ages it has been working over the soil to the 

 benefit of plant life. This tunneling by the shifting of earth particles 

 permits better aeration of the soil and favors the entrance of water 

 from the surface. It also mixes the soil and subsoil, carrying humus 

 farther down and bringing the subsoil nearer the surface^ whe^-^ its 

 elements of plant food may be made available. 



Mole trap of the choker type, devised and used by the 

 Biological Survey. 



