Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-07

| assure us that the mole is a survival OF
| the megatherium. and that he Is the only
living thing which still possesses "A pc
culiarly formed finger on his broad hand
! the only known analogue OF a similar toe
on the hind foot OF the extinct glyptodon.
Also. IL Is certain that, though the mole
has no external ears. yet no animal that
we are familiar with has such exquisite
sense Of hearing. His sense OF touch
seems 20 be diffused over all the surface
of his little body: and some OF the learn
ed assure rs those little eyes. which IN
the full-grown animal are hard 10 find,
are furnished with certain muscle
which can be contracted or expanded az
will, insomuch that your mole may just
keep his eyes open or closed. according
to circumstance-an invaluable accom-
pishment. such as courtiers. diplomatlsts,
ct hoe genus omne, may be 10. given H.,
when they hear OF, they too desire 70
have.
Then there are those marvellous fort
resses. habitations. hunting-grcu1ds, and
the rest. which the moles construct. and
about which it is not my province to
speak-the domed citadel, the tortuous
galleries, the dormtory. the magazines
Of food, and the wells or reservoirs Of
water-yes! actually welsl that they dig;
their loves and wars and bloody battles,
with the plentiful banquet and repast.
when the conqueror comes home. and
where Mrs. Mole receives her lord 10
o'clock tea (some seriously insist that
literally and punctually II Is always az
O'clock. though. instead OF mullins there
is a plate OF skinned earthworms pro-
vided for her dainty lord-only as a
treat, though! only as a treat The main
point TO be kept i'm view, however Ia all
this is that the voracity OF the mole 10
prodigious The number OF wireworm5
found I'm a mole's stomach. az IL has
been reported 20 me, is almost incredi-
BILE. The larvae OF beetles and other
wild beasts hostile TO man and enemies
10 human progress, civilization, and cul-
ture that a hundred moles would con-
sumo in a year. they say we could count
by millions; and some calculators, great
in mathematics, talk even OF millions ~
millions. Certain IL is that In the present.
depressed condition of agriculture IL IN
difficult to estimate how much serious
mischief Is being done by exterminatins
one of the farmers best and most influ-
entail friends. the mole. To wage a stu-
pid and ignorant war against this beneii-
'ent ally Of his is TO give himself away
indeed. What / want to know, and what
suspect others will soon be longing and
lsking eagerly to know, is. How can we
get back our moles? How can we allure
them hither? Can any one make 10
known to the moles that we have here
abouts such a wealth of ground beetles
and wireworms az would suffice TO fat
ten whole legions OF moles for years2
They shall not be molested mo pun. II
you pleased, but treated with the utmost
respect and consideration; and already
here is talk of saddling the resurrection
nan with the expense OF a heavy license
duty and OF bringing I'm a bill for thu
protection OF our best friends, the tall
)idae. The pressing difficulty now. how-
ever, is how TO get back those. our bene-
factors. whom we have done our best tn