OBSERVATIONS ON THE MOLE, 
Though the very interesting fact, here so well stated bj 
Mr Macritchie, would seem to prove that the mole has 
an extensive range of vision, other facts appear to render 
this doubtful ; for Mr Fletcher, to whom I have so often re-^ 
i^rred, tells me, that he has frequently thrown live moles 
into the water, but he never saw them on these occasions 
make for the land. They always swam round and round 5 
as if they knew not where they were. 
It is evident, that, if the mole had large or prominent 
eyes, they would be exceedingly inconvenient for it, and 
very liable to be injured during its operations under ground. 
They are, therefore, not only extremely small, but deep- 
seated in the head, and provided with a protecting film or 
integument, which the mole can bring over them, or with- 
draw, at pleasure. When this covering is withdrawn, which 
takes place when we throw a live mole into the water, the 
eyes may be distinctly seen like two black and shining 
points. Galen, in ancient times, even without the help 
of the microscope, did not hesitate to affirm, that the dif- 
ferent humours of the eye of the mole, and their respective 
tunics, could be seen ; and though Sir Thomas Brown, 
and others, have denied the truth of this affirmation, yet 
we have the fact of the existence of these humours and 
tunics confirmed by Dr Derham. He tells us, in his 
" Physico-Theology," that he had made " divers accurate 
dissections of the eyes of moles, with the help of micro- 
scopes, haying a doubt whether what we take to be eyes 
were such or no ; and, upon strict scrutiny, could plainly 
distinguish the crystalline and vitreious humours, and the 
ligamentum ciliare, with the atramentaceous mucus.'' 
If a mole be taken alive, either by digging or otherwise^ 
it usually, at first, utters a sort of small scream, or blow-= 
ing noise, and prepares for defending itself by its teeth 
and claws, A i^light blow seems sufficient to kill it. The 
