38 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX.
soon learning to come to be fed. This is especially the case,
if the creature is kept in the kitchen, where it may suitably
occupy itself in destroying the cockroaches which sometimes
frequent that apartment.
Family TALPIDAE (Gray). Dobson.
Genus Talpa, Linn.
Talpa europaea, Linn. Common Mole.
This useful animal is common in all parts of the county,
although in every district it is subjected to great persecution,
since the farmers naturally object to its practice of burrowing
and casting up mounds in their pastures and newly-sown
fields. I am not aware of any other mischief done by this
creature in Essex, except, it may be, that it disarranges and
blocks up the land-ditches by burrowing under them. In
other counties, no doubt, considerable damage has been done
by this industrious little miner, in boring through embankments
made to keep out water, thus necessitating every means to be
taken to keep down its numbers.
The hillock which covers the nest of the mole is generally
made in a hedge or wood, although it lies sometimes quite in
the open field. It may generally be known by its size, being
much larger than the ordinary molehill. The young are from
three to six in number, and are produced in the spring. They
are born naked, but grow rapidly, and are soon covered with
the fine fur or down. While young, they are able to fast a
considerable time. I have had some brought to me alive
which had been taken from the nest on the previous day, and
had remained without food for many hours, a privation which
would speedily have proved fatal had they been full-grown.
The cream-coloured variety of mole is not rare, especially
on some farms.