29,6 OBSERVATIONS OK THE MOLE. 
the lime having destroyed the worms on which the moles 
feed. 
The mole may often be killed by watching it at work, 
or when it is engaged in forcing up the materials it digs out 
of its run. If you can then suddenly get in below it M'ith 
a spade or hoe, you may throw it out, and destroy it ; or 
you may come upon it with your foot, and fix it in the 
ground, till you get it thrown out by some instrument. To 
accomplish this, you must watch till you see the hillock 
where a mole has been recently at work begin to heave, 
and you must ascertain, at the same time, in what direction 
the mole is going. For example, if she appear to be earr}^- 
ing on her operations, or making her road towards the east, 
you may be sure she is, when you see the hillock move^ 
pushing her materials towards the west; and, therefore, in 
order to secure her, you must turn your back to the east, 
and then tread hard and heavily on the east side of the 
hillock. You will then most likely fix her. But if you 
come on her the contrary way, she will turn back in a mo- 
ment along her roadway, and escape. Some have employed, 
with good success, to kill moles at work, a board, either 
of a square or circular form, containing about 100 square 
inches, fixed on the end of a stiek a few feet long, and 
stuck full of iron-spikes four or five inches in length. This 
instrument, plunged right upon the heap or hillock when 
the mole is seen to work, can scarcely fail to destroy her. 
But in order to catch a mole at work, the greatest softness 
of approach is required. It is scarcely possible, such is her 
acuteness of hearing or feeling, to get at her without throw- 
ing off your shoes, and walking in your stockings, unless it 
be near by the side of a road, or other place, where there 
are constantly noise and shaking of the ground, by means, 
for example, of horses and carts, or carriages, passing and 
repassing ; and then the mole may be approached when at 
her work with great freedom. She does not take the alarm. 
