40 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE,

a wild state it has been known to attack and kill a leveret.
In attacking a snake it will roll itself up between its bites and
thus protect itself against retaliation.

The Mole. The family of the Talpide to which the mole
belongs is a large and interesting one. The common mole
“when at rest,” says the author of “ Tales of Animals,” “bears
more resemblance to a small stuffed sack than to a living
animal, its head being entirely destitute of external ears, and
elongated nearly to a point, and its eyes so extremely small
and completely hidden by the fur, that it would not be sur-
prising should a casual observer conclude it to be blind. This
apparently shapeless mass is endowed with great activity and
a surprising degree of strength, and is excellently suited for
deriving enjoyment from the peculiar life it is designed to lead.
It is found abundantly in Europe and North America, from
Canada to Virginia; often living at no great distance from
water-courses, or in dykes thrown up to protect meadows
from inundation. The mole burrows with great quickness,
and travels under ground with much celerity; nothing can be
better constructed for this purpose than its broad and strong
hands, or fore paws, armed with long and powerful claws,
which are very sharp at their extremities, and slightly curved
on the inside. Numerous galleries, communicating with each
other, enable the mole to travel in various directions, without
coming to the surface, which they appear to do very rarely,
unless their progress is impeded by a piece of ground so hard
as to defy their strength and perseverance. The depth of
their burrows depends very materially on the character of
the soil, and the situation of the place; sometimes running
for a great distance, at a depth of from one to three inches,
and sometimes much deeper. Moles are most active early
in the morning, at midday, and in the evening; after rains
they are particularly busy in repairing their damaged galleries;
and in jong continued wet weather we find that they seek
the high grounds for security.”