The Republican., 1899-10-05
PICTURE OF A MOLE,

pened for minute of two, and then
there was great commotiOn under the
sod. At last pink nose with what
looked like a scarlet flower on the end
of it showed through the grass and
then the digging paws and funnel
shaped head of the mole followed. The
creature had been drowned out and
had come into daylight for air. With
a quick turn of his foot Ben lifted the
mole above ground, soaked and near
ly drowned. | put the captive in a pox
and let it dry in the sun. The accom-
panying illustration will give you an
idea of its shape, but no picture could
show the exquisite fineness of the long,
slate-colored fur of the mole, which
was about six inches long, including
its stubby and hairless tail. The two
little diggers in front looked wonder
fully like hands. but the hind legs and
feet resembled those of rat, and the
creature moved about in the box in
spite of the fact that it apparently had
no eyes. l fed the captive some strips
of cooked fat, resembling in shape the
angle or earthworms, of which the
mole is so fond, and it ate them raven
ously. Later the creature was killed
and its skin tanned to make a purse.
The common mole burrows that we
see in the yards are only temporary
runways made by the creature while
hunting earthworms. Moles go in pairs
and excavate long tunnels several
inc ha
branches are made in the constant
search fo- food WI - 1reu: his
is very skillfully constructed home.
1t is a good-sized apartment, the roof
of which is supported by earth pillars.
The walls, ceisng and floor of the nest
are beaten till the earth is very firm.
The floor is then covered with dried
leaves. Radiating from this nest are
as many as five tunnels that extend
distance of is feet or more in their diff
ferent directions. The nest is higher
than the tunnels and a portion of it is
above ground. Consequently there is
always a little hillock above a mole's
nest. Moles have very small and keen
eyes, which can only be discovered by
parting the fur that serves to complete
ly obscure them. The forelegs are so
short and close to the head that the ears
appear to be back of them. If you eX-
anime the mole's chest you will see why
it is able to dig so rapidly that it is al
most impossible to head it off. The
chest is covered with muscles that are
as hard as wood and operate the dig
gers, which lie palm out and close to
the shoulders. The end OF the nose OF
the common mole is supplied with u
number of little protuberances radiat-
ing from center like the rays of star.
This has given it the name of the star
nosed mole. 1t feeds on worms and
| beetles, but has been known to attack
small birds. Seeing a bird near it
quits its hole, watches its opportunity,
darts upon the bird, rips open its
breast and plunges its nose into the
wound and proceeds to devour the bird.
Moles are good swimmers and have
often been known to cross rivers that
way. At noon of bright days the mole
loves to stick its head out of a burrow
and bask in the sun, but at the first
sight or sound of danger, for its hear
ing is very acute, the creature disap-
pears in the earth. 1t never forages for
food close to the nest, and it goes food
hunting two hours in the morning and
as many in the evening. At OTHER times
it remains in the nest.-Chicago Record.