. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Mammals; Natural history; Mammifères; Sciences naturelles. THE SCALOPS, OR SHREW-MOLE. 427 iiiit till; iiii'iess or egress of the Mole Iroiu ulniost any direction, so that when its acute senses give notice of the approach of nn ciK-niy, it cnn iiinke its retreat without difficulty. The first operation is to build a tol n-ably large hill of compact and well-trodden earth. Near the summit of this mound tlie excavator runs a circular gallery, and anotlier iKMr the bottom, connecting the two galleries with five short passages. It then burrows into the
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Mammals; Natural history; Mammifères; Sciences naturelles. THE SCALOPS, OR SHREW-MOLE. 427 iiiit till; iiii'iess or egress of the Mole Iroiu ulniost any direction, so that when its acute senses give notice of the approach of nn ciK-niy, it cnn iiinke its retreat without difficulty. The first operation is to build a tol n-ably large hill of compact and well-trodden earth. Near the summit of this mound tlie excavator runs a circular gallery, and anotlier iKMr the bottom, connecting the two galleries with five short passages. It then burrows into the centre of the mound, and digs a moderately large spherical hole, which it connects with the lower gallery by three passages. A very large passage, which is a continuation of the high-road, is then driven into the spherical chamber by dipping under the lower gallery, and is connected with the circular chamber from ; Lastly, the Mole drives a great number of runs, which radiate from the rest in all directions, and which all open into tlie lower circular gallery. It will be seen fioni this short description, that if a Mole should be surprised in its nest it can vnthdraw through its central chamber and so reach the high-road at once, or can slip through eitliei-'of the short connecting galleries and escape into any of the numerous radiatory runs. In the central or middh- chamlier of the edifice the Mole places a quantity of dried arass or leaves, upon whii'h it sleeps dui'ing its hours of repose. This complicated room fs seldom used during the .summer months, as at that time the Mole prefers to live in one of the ordinary hillocks. The nest which the female contrives is not so complicated as tlie ibrtress, but is well adapted for its purpose. The jiillock iu which the nest is made is always a very large one, and is generally placed at some distance ti'om the fortress. Its interior is very large, and' is generally tilled with dried grass, moss, or other sinular substanc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectmammals, booksubjectnaturalhistory
