COMMON MOtE. 
457 
no great distance, will be obliged to eorne forth* 
and may be easily caught with the hand. It is 
very easy to discover whether a hill has any coni-* 
munication with another, by applying the ear to it, 
and then coughing or making a loud noise; if it 
has no communication, the terrified animal may be 
heard by its motion. It will then be almost im- 
possible for it to escape ; and the water may either 
be poured into the hole, or the earth may be turned 
up with a spade till the mole is found ; for it does 
not often go deeper into the earth than from fifteen! 
to eighteen inches. 
In the moist beds of a garden, which it is very 
fond of, the mole makes a passage at the depth of 
scarcely an inch below the surface. In this case 
it is easily caught. When seen at work here, it is 
only necessary to tread behind the animal with the 
foot, on the passage, to prevent its retreat, and 
then turn it up with a s^ade. 
f<r The mole,” continues Dr. Darwin, whose ac* 
count we resume, suckles four or five, and some- 
times six young ones ; which 5 are placed consider-* 
ably deeper in the ground than the common run3 ; 
and the mole-hills near them are consequently 
larger, and generally of a different colour. These 
nests are to be dug up ; having first intercepted 
the road between them and the- mole- hills in the 
vicinity, to cut off the retreat of the inhabitants. 
The next important circumstance is to dis- 
cover which are the frequented streets, and which 
the bye-roads ; for the purpose of setting sub- 
terraneous traps. This is effected by making a 
mark on every new mole- hill, by a light pressure 
of the foot ; and the next morning observing' 
whether a mole has again passed that way, and 
obliterated the foot mark. This is to be done for 
two or three successive mornings. These foot 
marks should not be deeply impressed ; lest the 
vox,, i, 3 N 
