An introduction to the study of mammals living and extinct / by William Henry Flower and Richard Lydekker.

Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introduction to the study of mammals living and extinct / by William Henry Flower and Richard Lydekker. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    wards, and each with five subequal digits armed with strong flattened claws. The hind feet are long and narrow, and the toes are pro- vided with slender claws. The body is densely covered with soft, erect, velvety fur, the hairs being uniform in length and thickness, except on the muzzle and short tail. The colour of the fur is generally black, with a more or less grayish tinge, or brownish-black, but various paler shades ujd to pure white have been observed. The food of the Mole consists chiefly of the earth-worm, in pursuit of Avhich it forms its well-known underground excavations. Its habits were many years ago studied and described by M. Henri le Court. Like many other mammals, the Mole has a lair to which it may retire for secm^ity. This consists of a central nest formed under a hillock, placed in some protected situation, as under a bank, or between the roots of trees. The nest, which is lined with dried grass or leaves, communicates with the main run by four passages, of which only one joins it directly, leading downwards for a short distance and then ascending again. The other three are directed upwards and communicate at regular intervals with a circular gallery constructed in the upper part of the hillock, which in turn communicates by five passages leading downwards and outwards -with another much larger gallery placed lower down on a level mth the central nest, from which passages proceed outwards in different directions, one only communicating directly with the main run, while the others, curving round, either soon join or end blindly. The main run is somewhat -wider than the animal's body; its walls are smooth, and formed of closely compressed earth, the depth varying according to the nature of the soil, but ordinarily from 4 to 6 inches. Along this tunnel the animal passes backwards and forwards several times daily, and here traps are laid by mole-catchers for its capture. From the main run numerous passages are formed on each side, along which the animal hunts its prey, throwing out the soil in the form of mole-hills. The Mole is one of the most voracious of mammals, and, if deprived of food, is said to die in from ten to twelve hours. Almost any kind of flesh is eagerly devoured by captive Moles, which have been seen by various observers, as if maddened by hunger, to attack animals nearly as large as themselves, such as birds, lizards, frogs, and even snakes ; toads, however, they will not touch, and no form of vegetable food attracts their notice. If two Moles be confined together without food, the weaker is invariably devoured by' the stronger. Moles take readily to the water, in Avhich respect they resemble their representatives on the North American continent. Bruce, writing in 179.3, remarks that he saw a Mole paddling towards a small island in the Loch of Clunie, 180 yards from land, on which he noticed mole-hills. The sexes come together about the second week in March, and