英文科学读本 第二册·Lesson 38 The Mole

Lesson 38 The Mole

Our lesson today, said Willie, "was about a very strange, little animal, the mole. It lives in most parts of the country, and yet it is rarely seen alive, because it lives under the ground.

The rabbit too lives under the ground, but only to be safe from its enemies. It must come out to get its food. This little animal, the mole, is born underground, he lives, eats, drinks, works, and, I daresay, dies there.

How can he feed under the ground? asked Norah. "What does he live on?"

He is a fierce, hungry, little hunter, said Fred, "and rabbits' food would not do for him. He catches little animals and eats them."

But what animals can he find in the earth? asked Norah. "oh, I suppose you mean worms and beetles and things of that sort. I have found them in my garden when I have been digging."

That's right, said Willie, "they are the mole's food."

Now look what I've got, said Fred. "This is a mole that has been dried and stuffed. Father got it for us.

Look at the shape of his body. It is short, thick, and rounded, with a pointed snout and very short legs, just the sort of body for boring tunnels in the earth. Now look at the front paws. They are like broad flat shovels. They have strong claws, which turn outwards and backwards. They are his digging tools."

How soft and smooth his coat is, said Norah.

Yes, said Fred, "and it does not matter which way it is rubbed, it is always smooth. If you rub the cat's fur the wrong way it looks rough. The mole's fur is never rough; it bends easily either way. But the best point about it is that it will not allow any of the earth to stick to it. It all shakes off easily, so that although he lives in such a home, he is never dirty, while his thick coat keeps him warm in the damp cold earth.

Some people say, added Fred, "that the mole has neither eyes nor ears.

The truth is that the eyes and ears are so hidden up by the thick fur, that they cannot be seen. Of course, down in that underground darkness, eyes are all but useless to the mole. But his ears are very sharp, and so is his sense of smell. His hearing and smell help him to find his prey.

I suppose, now, when we speak of his prey, you would like to know something about his teeth. They are long, sharp, and pointed. They are just fitted for seizing his victim and tearing its flesh—not for chewing. He catches and kills frogs, fieldmice, and small snakes, as well as earthworms and beetles.

SUMMARY

The mole lives under the ground. His strong, front paws are his shovels for digging. He makes a fine house underground. He feeds upon worms, grubs, and beetles, which he finds there. He has sharp teeth for tearing and cutting flesh, but no chewing teeth. His fur is thick and warm, and does not ruffle up. His ears are very sharp.