204 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
easily caught by placing a trap in the course of 
their runs. I have seen a cat which was quite 
expert at Mole-catching. It would watch the runs 
for hours, and when it detected signs of a Mole’s 
activity, it would pounce upon it with its front feet, 
which it plunged at lightning speed into the run. 
But the cat never ate the Moles it caught ; it seemed 
satisfied with the sport of catching them. Every 
Mole I have handled has been pestered with a 
number of well-fed fleas. 
In the third place the Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus 
Crista-galli) is growing freely among the grass. This 
plant belongs to the Natural Order Scrophulariacez, 
and is thus related to the Speedwells, the Foxgloves, 
the Eyebright, and the Figworts. Itis not at present 
flowering to the extent it will do a little later. 
Observe the erect and stiff manner of growth, the 
loose spike of flowers which have calyces appearing 
as if they had been blown up with a pneumatic 
pump. The yellow petals just peep out of the 
inflated calyx, and one might say the flower bears 
a slight resemblance to a cock’s comb; perhaps 
that is why some folk call it the ‘‘ Cock’s-Comb.” 
I suppose the name “ Yellow Rattle ’ has been given 
to this flower because when the seeds are ripe they 
rattle loosely in their capsules, after the manner of 
a baby’s rattle. There is a saying among the 
Swedes that when the seeds rattle in their capsules 
it is time to gather the hay. It is said that the 
Yellow Rattle draws part of its nourishment from 
the roots of the grasses. Thus it is a semi-parasite, 
living partly by the labour of the grasses and partly 
by its own efforts. 
