In Lawrence Durrell's The Alexandria Quartet, women are described using an uncommon metaphor, suggesting that they are like burrowing animals. This imagery may imply qualities such as secrecy, nesting, or hidden depths, though it is a metaphor that can also carry connotations of mystery and introspection.

Durrell's comparison reflects a perspective that perceives women as beings with complex inner worlds, possibly reserved or enigmatic. The quote emphasizes the idea that, as outsiders, the speaker recognizes women as creatures who dwell beneath the surface, hinting at their multifaceted nature and the layers that lie beneath their outward appearances.