372 
NATURAL HISTORY . 
the Mole’s nest is invaded by a sudden Hood, both parents may be seen struggling bravely, and risking 
their own lives to save their young, and mutually assisting and protecting each other while thus 
engaged. 
The period of gestation in the Mole does not appear to be very accurately known, but it is sup- 
posed to be about two months. The young are brought forth earlier or later, according to the season, 
but most commonly in April. There are generally four or five, but sometimes only three, and occa- 
sionally six or even seven in a litter. They are produced in a nest lined with grass, fine roots, dried 
leaves, and similar materials collected in a sort of chamber, which is formed by the enlargement of the 
point of junction of three or four of the ordinary passages, always separate from the fortress, and often 
at a considerable distance from it. Only a single brood is produced in the year. 
We have devoted so much space to the natural history of the Mole because, whilst it is really the 
most interesting, from this point of view, of all our British Mammals, there is no other which is 
exposed to such constant and severe persecution. In all parts of the country we find professional 
Mole-catchers, who make it their business to ascertain the habits of the animals, and taking advantage 
of this knowledge, capture them in great numbers. We shall not attempt to describe the various con- 
trivances used to effect these massacres. It will suffice to state that the principle on which most of 
them are worked is the insertion into the ascertained run of the Mole of a trap of some kind, which 
catches him as he is passing. The grounds upon which this war of extermination is waged against 
the Mole arc chiefly the mischiefs which it causes by means of its runs and burrows in fields and 
pastures ; but it may be questioned whether the Mole does not more than compensate for any 
damage thus produced by the destruction of many insects and other noxious animals. 
THE BLIND MOLE* 
We have already mentioned a southern European species which may have given origin to 
Aristotle’s statements as to the blindness of the Mole. This is an inhabitant of Italy, Dalmatia, and 
Greece, and is said to occur rarely in the south of France, in Switzerland, and in some other parts of 
Europe. It closely resembles the common species, but has the eyes covered by a membrane pierced 
only by a minute hole, so that the animal’s sole visual consciousness must be limited to a mere 
perception of light. Its fur is of a deep greyish-black colour ; and it differs chiefly from the common 
European Mole in having the middle upper incisor teeth larger than the rest. In its general habits the 
Blind Mole agrees with our British species, but it is said to make its runs less extensive and nearer to 
the surface. Its nest also is said to be made in the chamber within the fortress. 
Besides these, several nearly allied species of True Moles are found in northern India, chiefly among 
the hills, such as the Short-tailed Mole {Talpa micriora), in which the tail is exceedingly short, the 
Long- tailed Mole (T. macrura), and the White-tailed Mole (T. leucura). The first-named species 
inhabits Nepaul and Daijeling, and at the latter place, according to Mr. Jerdon, it is not uncommon, and. 
many of the roads and pathways are intersected by its runs, which often proceed from the base of one 
great oak-tree to that of another. If the runs are broken into they are generally repaired during the 
night, and no Mole-hills are thrown up like those of the European Mole. The White-tailed Mole differs 
from the other species in having only three premolars on each side in each jaw, making forty teeth in 
all. Upon this ground Mr. Gill establishes the genus Pamscaptor for it. 
Still further east, in Japan, we find the Woogura Mole ( Talpa woogura), which resembles the 
European Mole in general form and habits, but has the fur of a dingy tawny colour, and the nose 
unusually produced. In this species there are two incisors less in the lower jaw than in T. europcea , 
and M. Pomel forms for it the genus Mogera , 
The Abbe Armand David, during his travels in Chinese Mongolia, discovered a Mole closely resem- 
bling the European species in its general appearance and characters, which has been called the Musky 
Mole {Smpiochirm moschatus). It was found, however, to possess one premolar less on each side in each 
jaw than the True Moles {Talpa) ; and from certain peculiarities in the form of the teeth M. Milne- 
Edwards infers that the animal is less exclusively insectivorous than the Common Mole. It is remark- 
able for the strong musky odour which it diffuses. The Musky Mole has fur even softer than that of 
the European Mole, of a bright greyish-brown colour with a tawny tinge, and presenting a brillia 1 ^ 
* Talpa cceca* 
