Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-09-05

ny PROF. W. !, BEAE. 4

the common mole (Scalops aquaticus,
Cuv.) Opinions and theories are more
or less valuable according as they are
sustained by facts. These facts must
be facts, and not errors made by inaper-l
feet observers. No doubt the mole is
often confused with other animals
which resemble him in many respects.
All meles OF the same species HAY not
behave alike. One .man, perhaps, in
jures mole in catching it, for they are
very tender, and it dies in six hours, Or
it eats no vegetable food, and he con-
cludes that ali moles would have died
soon and refused anything but insects
and worms.
will give few dates and numbers
and details of some recent experiments,
and allow each one to draw his own
conclusion. This will show your COR
respondent, Mr.. s. B. Peck, that not
every one with PROF" before his name
declares that the mole's only food is
meat, worms, insects, and the like.
Some reason from the construction of
the teeth or the food in the stomach.
If we were to Judge from the teeth
alone, we should conclude that dogs and
cats were made to live solely on ami
NAL food but we know that cats do
eat other things, and dogs often live
for months without such food and be-
come very fat.
About July 9Th, caught mole and
killed him at once. On .dissecting the
stomach the next day, the main OBJ
iects found were half-digested fragments
Of larve Of insects, some Of worms,
beetles. etc. There were some small
pieces ofstraws or stems of grasses,
the largest being fiye.sixteenths Of an
inch long and one-eighth Of an inch
broad. The question arose, Perhaps
this vegetable matter was in the sto-.
machs of the food eaten by the mole?
On July IS, 1877, about 2 P. NJ, a
large flower pot was set below the run
ola mole, and the pot covered lightly
with boards and earth. This was not
examined till July 16, at noon. The
mole was there IN some soil which he
had crowded INTO the pot. He was
placed in nail-keg which was in good
condition, The key was large enough
to bold loo lbs. Of nails. One head
was out. Two or three inches Of sand
were placed in the bottom, and a board
covered the top quite tight. This was
set in the barn at night. Six kernels
Of sweet corn were dropped in. The
corn was old, but had been partially
cooked and somewhat softened. On
July Il. at A. M. the soil was care
fully looked over, and the corn was all
gone. Twelve kernels more Of corn
were put in. and the key moved near
the kitchen door, to be certain that mice
did not eat the corn. At noon of the
same day eight kernels Of corn had dis
appeared, and before night all were
gone. On July IS. at noon, twelve
more kernels were thrown in, also a
small raw new potato, an inch in dame
ter, cut through the middle. On the
10Th, at 10 A. NJ. two whole and one
half kernels Of corn were found; the
potato was untouched. The key was
kept closely covered. Six red pie
cherries were now put in. at S ?. NJ.
one piece of the potato was found much
gnawed. while the whole Of the cherries,
except two pits, had disappeared. There
was no corn except part ofone kernel,
The mole was let out, after being kept
in the key on the aforementioned food
from noon Of July 16 till the evening Of
July 10. He was lively and began to
disappear IN the ground, when he was
killed. No examination was made Of
his stomach.
Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich.