"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 whichway 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.
