THEMOLE.
This animal is in some places, but chiefly in the North of England, called a Want, and, contrary to most other vermin, lives chiefly under ground; its skin is of a fine black jet colour, very smooth and soft, and has short legs, with which they, with incredible swiftness, will dig themselves into the earth when they apprehend any danger; they are supposed by some people to be entirely blind, it being in many places proverbial to sayas blind as a mole, but this is a mistake, for they have eyes as well as other vermin, but very small, appearing scarcely larger than the head of a common pin, but sufficient toserve their purposes, their residence being, as was before observed, generally under the earth.
These animals do great mischief in gardens and grounds, and if you find they come observe the outsides, for their angle, or run; or, if there is a path in a field, it is very probable but they have a run across the path, or at a gate-way, they will frequently have one; these are what we call the main runs, and about two or three inches under the earth, and may very easily be found by the heaving up of the mould or earth, along which they will run ten times in a day. When you have discovered one of these runs, you must tread in the earth tight, and when you come that way again, see whether it is as you left it, and if you perceive the Mole has been along, then set a trap, by which means I have caught several of them in an afternoon; these being their main roads out of one part of the ground to the other, for it will be of littlesignification to set a trap in any other angles or runs, and if you should, it may possibly remain a great while before a Mole comes; for in the spring, when they run near the surface of the earth, they make a great many different angles in search of the worms, on which and chaffers their chief food consists.
Now if they make hills in your fields or gardens, take notice of the places before mentioned, and set a trap in the following manner: Take a piece of board half an inch thick, four inches and a half long, by two and a half wide, then put a small hoop or bow at each end, with just room for the Mole to go through; then in the centre, at each side, put two small pegs, in order to keep them in the trap; for sometimes one that is shy, when he finds the peg before him that springs the trap, will turn out at the side and spring the trap, and not be taken: it is necessary therefore to use these small pegs, which will keep them in the straightroad, placed as before directed. In the next place, get two strong horse-hairs, or pieces of small wire, then in the centre or middle of the bow, at each end, make a hole to put the hair or wire through double, then open the hair or wire just to fit, and lie close inside of the bow, like a noose, get some fine mould, make it moist like paste, and work some of it with your finger and thumb all round in the inside of the bow, so that the horse-hair or wire may not be perceivable. Through the hole in the centre of the trap let a short bit of string come. Put a forked peg tight in the hole, that may keep the string from slipping through, till the Mole, by going through, pushes it out; then the string slips up. When you have thus prepared the trap, then open one of the runs, exactly the length of the trap, and put it down in the run quite level, and make it all smooth, that there may be no light discovered. Then take three good strong hooked pegs, two on one side, and one on the other, and stick them down tight, then take astiff stick, about four feet long, stick one end in the ground tight, bring the other end down to the trap and hitch in a loop, that comes from the hair or wire, and then it is set, and when the Mole comes he pushes out this little peg, then the string draws out, the bow-string flies up, and the Mole is caught; in the spring time, when you catch a she Mole, rub her back part about the bows and the inside of the trap, by which method I have caught eight he Moles successively; observe, when you have caught all that you perceive to move, you need only look round the outside of your fields, and keep some traps constantly going there, and they will lay hold of them as they come in and out; another expedient you may make use of, by putting some dead Moles in the runs where they come, which will prevent their coming, and keep your ground quiet and free from these trouble-vermin.