M O L 
but fuch as it can with facility conquer or evade. 
As foon as it has once buried itfclf in the earth, it 
feldom ftirs out, unlefs forced by violent rains in 
fummer; or when, in purfuit of it's prey, it hap- 
pens to approach the furface too nearly, and thus 
gets into the open air, an element which may be 
confidered as unnatural to it. In general, it chufes 
the loofer, fofter mould, beneath which it can tra- 
vel with greater cafe: in fuch alfo it generally finds 
the greateft number of worms and infects, on 
which it chiefly preys. It is obferved to be moft 
aftive, as well as to caft up moft earth, immediately 
before rain ; and, during winter, before a thaw : 
at fuch feafons worms and infects begin to be in 
motion] and approach the furface, whither this in- 
duflrious fpoiler purfues them. On the contrary, 
in very dry weather, the Mole feldom forms any 
hillocks; for then it is compelled to penetrate 
deeper for it's prey, which retire far below the fur- 
face of the ground in queft of moifture. 
As Moles feldom make their appearance above 
ground, they are in a great meafure exempted 
from the tyranny of other animals: however, in- 
undations deftroy them in prodigious numbers, 
from the effefts of which they are frequently feen 
attempting to fave themfelves by every poffible 
exertion. Were it not for thefe, they would, from 
their great fecundity, foon become extremely trou- 
blefome; and, deftru6live as fuch accidents prove 
to them, they are neverthelefs in fome places re- 
garded by farmers as very great nuifances. They 
couple towards the approach of fpring; and their 
young are produced about the beginning of May. 
They generally bring forth four or five at a timej 
and it is eafy to diftinguifh, among other Mole- 
hills, thofe in which the females have brought 
forth, becaufe they are formed with greater art 
than others, as well as unufualiy large. 
The female, m forming her retreat, begins by 
crefling the earth into a pretty fpacious apart- 
ment, fupported within by partitions, at proper 
diftances, which prevent the roof from falling in. 
Round this fhe labours to make the earth very 
firm, fo as to render it capable of keeping out the 
rain, though ever fo violent. As the hillock in 
which this apartment is formed is raifed above 
ground, the apartment itfelf is confequently above 
the level of the plain, and therefore lefs fubjeft 
to accidental inundations. The place being thus 
fitted up, Ihe procures grafs and dry leaves as a 
bed for her young, where they lie fecure from the 
wet: and fhe continues to render their retreat 
equally fofrom danger; for, all around this artifi- 
cial elevation, there are holes which run into the 
earth, diverging from the central apartment, and 
extending about fifteen feet in each dire(5lion. 
Thefe holes refemble fo many walks, into which 
the animal makes her fubterraneous excurfions, 
and fupplies her young with fuch roots or infefts 
as fhe can conveniently provide: but they contri- 
bute flill more to fafety; for the Mole being very 
quick of hearing, the inftant fhe perceives her lit- 
tle habitation attacked, flie takes to her burrow; 
and unlefs the earth is opened by feveral perfons 
at once, fhe and her young always make good their 
retreat. 
As the flcins of Moles ^re extremely foft and 
beautiful, it appears flrange that they have not 
more frequently been turned to fome advantage- 
ous purpofes. Agricola informs us, that he has 
feen hats made from them, the fined and moft 
beautiful imaginable. 
Various methods have been adopted to deftroy 
M O L 
thefe animals, wliich are often fo detrimental 16 
gardeners and farmers. 
Some take a board, about three inches and a half 
broad, and five inches long: on each fide there- 
of they raile two fmall round hoops or arches, 
one at each end, like the two hoops or bails of 
a flage waggon, capacious enough for a Mole to 
creep through v/ith facility. In the middle of 
the board they make a hole about the fize of a 
goofe-quill, and have in readinefs to put into it 
a flick about two inches and a half long, fitted 
at one end to the hole, and a little forked at the 
other. They alfo cut a hazel-ftick, about a yard, 
or a yard and a half long, which will rife with 
pretty ftrong elafticity when fluck into the ground ; 
and to the end of this fcick fatten a very ftrong 
noofe of horfe-hair, fo formed as to flip with eafe. 
They likewife have in readinefs four fmall hooked 
flicks ; then proceed to the furrow or pafTage of 
the Mole, and having opened it, fit in the little 
board with the bended hoop downwards, fo that 
when the creature pafTes that way, it may go di- 
reftly through the two femicircular hoops. But 
before the board is fixed in this manner, they put 
the hair-ftring through the hole in the middle of 
it; place the noofe in a circular form, fo that it 
may correfpond with the two hoops ; flip the 
fmall flick before-mentioned gently into the hole 
in the centre of the board, lb as to flop the 
knot of the hair-ftring, without fuffering it to 
be abfolutely tightened; then fatten the board 
down with four hooked fticks, and cover it 
with earth. When the Mole, proceeding in it's 
furrov/, comes into this trap, it will dilplace the 
fmall ftick that hangs perpendicularly downward, 
the knot will then be drawn through the hole, 
and the noofe being inftantly ftraightened by the 
elevation of the end of the hazel-ftick to which 
it is faftened, will entangle the Mole round the 
neck. 
Others watch the motions of thefe animals in 
the mornings and evenings, which are the ufual 
times of their ftirring; and then dig them out in 
a moment with paddles. About March, the time of 
their breeding, numbers of the young may be de- 
ftroyed by turning up their nefts. Some approve 
of the pot-trap, which is a deep earthen vefTel depo- 
fited in the ground, having the brim on a level 
with the bottom of the Mole-tracks. This is 
moft advantageoufly ufed about the beginning of 
March, when the Moles couple, or perhaps fome- 
what earlier. 
An ingenious author fays, that Moles may be 
driven from gardens, meadows, and other places 
where perfons would not wifli to dig, by fuming 
their holes with brimftone, garlick, or other ftrong 
fm.elling fubftances ; and that the depofiting a dead 
Mole in the common haunt will make the reft ab- 
folutely forfake it. 
Mole, Siberian; the Talpa Afiatica of Lin- 
naeus. This fpecies, which Brown calls the Varia- 
ble Mole, has a very fhort nofe, no ears, and three 
toes on the fore-feet, with a very large claw on the 
exterior two. It has four toes on the hinder-feet; 
it's body is of an equal thicknefs; and it's rump is 
perfedly round. It is of a beautiful green and 
gold colour, varying with the light in which it is 
viev/ed; it is deflitute of a tail; and the length of 
it's body is four inches. 
This animal is a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope; though, from a miftake of Seba, it has 
received the appellation of the Siberian Mole. 
Mole, Radiated ; the Sorex Criftatus of Lin- 
naeus, 
