THE HAIRY-TAILED MOLE. 
IN THE March number of Birds and 
All Nature the common Ameri- 
can mole, which is the most com- 
mon species in the eastern portion 
of the United States, is described, and 
the habits of moles, which are identical, 
were rather fully set forth. The hairy- 
tailed mole (Scapanus breweri) is found 
principally in the western part of the 
United States. 
This little animal has so many 
enemies besides man, as polecats, owls, 
ravens, storks, and the like, who watch 
it as it throws up its hillocks, that it is 
a wonder it has not been exterminated. 
It betrays its home by its own handi- 
work, as it is obliged constantly to con- 
struct new hillocks in order to earn its 
living. These hillocks always indicate 
the direction and extent of its hunting- 
grounds. The little weasels pursue it 
in its conduits, where it also frequently 
falls a prey to the adder. Only foxes, 
weasels, hedgehogs, and the birds 
already mentioned, eat it. 
"Take the mole out of its proper 
sphere," says Wood, "and it is awkward 
and clumsy, but replace it in the famil- 
iar earth, and it becomes a different 
being — full of life and energy, and 
actuated by a fiery activity which seems 
quite inconsistent with its dull aspect 
and seemingly inert form. The absence 
of any external indication of eyes com- 
municates a peculiar dullness to the 
creature's look, and the formation of 
the fore-limbs gives an indescribable 
awkwardness to its gait. In the ground 
only is it happy, for there only can it 
develop its various capabilities. No 
one can witness the eagerness with 
which it flings itself upon its prey, and 
the evident enjoyment with which it 
consumes its hapless victim without 
perceiving that the creature is exult- 
antly happy in its own peculiar way. 
His whole life is one of fury, and he 
eats like a starving tiger, tearing and 
rending his prey with claws and teeth. 
A mole has been seen to fling itself 
upon a small bird, tear its body open, 
and devour it while still palpitating 
with life. 'Nothing short of this fiery 
energy could sustain an animal in the 
life-long task of forcing itself through 
the solid earth.' " 
The hidden habitation of the mole 
is described as a nearly spherical cham- 
ber, the roof of which is nearly on a 
level with the earth around the hill, 
and therefore situated at a considerable 
depth from the apex of the heap. 
Around this are driven two circular 
galleries — one just level with the ceil- 
ing, and the other at some height above. 
The upper circle is much smaller than 
the lower. Five short, descending pas- 
sages connect the galleries with each 
other, but the only entrance into the 
inner apartment is from the upper gal- 
lery, out of which three passages lead 
into the ceiling. It will be seen, there- 
fore, that when a mole enters the 
house from one of its tunnels, it has 
first to get into the lower gallery, to 
ascend thence to the upper gallery, 
and so descend into its chamber. There 
is another entrance from below, how- 
ever, by a passage which dips down- 
ward from the center of the chamber, 
and then, taking a curve upward, opens 
into one of the larger tunnels. 
The mole comes from the earth with 
unsoiled fur, which is due in part to the 
peculiar character of the hair, and 
partly to strong membraneous muscles 
beneath the skin, by means of which 
the animal gives itself a frequent and 
powerful shake. 
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