OBSERVATIONS ON THE MQLE. 
" The quantity of worms devoured by these moles was 
great, and more than I should have conceived it possible 
for such a small animal to eat at once. Both were apparent- 
ly full grown. 
I may mention, if the circumstance be worth noticing, 
that the first mole had freely voided urine in the botanical 
box in which it was carried home.*" 
The fate of the last of these two moles that were thus 
caught, and observed by Mr Stark, corroborates what I 
have before mentioned, with respect to the difficulty of 
preserving the animal alive in a state of confinement : and 
what he says regarding the first of them having voided 
urine in the botanical box, is a complete proof that the 
mole does not in this respect differ from other quadrupeds. 
As the object of the mole, in all its operations, is to ob- 
tain supplies of food, it is not found in pure clay or sand, 
but in such mould as is frequented by worms, and the spe- 
cies seldom occurs except in cultivated countries. We do not 
meet with it in parched deserts, nor in the frozen regions of 
the north. The epithet Europcea, given by Linnaeus to this 
species, must not be understood as indicating that it is 
found in Europe only, for it has been traced also in some 
parts of Asia and Africa. The soil of Ireland is still ex- 
empt from it, as well as from toads and serpents of all 
kinds. The flesh of the mole has very much of the savour 
of that of the rabbit, and is esteemed a great delicacy by 
the Arabs. 
