The Rev. G. Gordon informs me that it is increasing in numbers 

 in Morayshire, where it was formerly rare. Mr. Colquhoun says 

 that it is common in Bute (Sporting Days, p. 101), but it is un- 

 known in Arran, Mull, Islay, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. 

 The history of the increase of range of this and the next species 

 in Scotland would well repay careful investigation. 



Family; T ALP I DAE. 



5. Talpa europaea, Linnaeus. 



Mole. 



Scot, Moudie, Moudiewart (Old English, Mouldioarp, a mole ; 

 Angl. Sax., molde, soil, weorpan, to throw); Earth-hound (Aberdeen). 



Gael., Famh, Uir-reathaldh, Uireabh {lit., earth-plougher). 



Like the last species, the Mole has greatly extended its range of 

 late years, and is now well known throughout the mainland to 

 Sutherlandshire and Caithness. Thirty-six years ago itwas recorded 

 as spreading rapidly in west Argyllshire (New Stat. Ace. Argyl., 

 pp. 380, 439). In Mull it is said to have been accidentally 

 introduced in a boat-load of earth from Morven early in the last 

 century, but it appears to be unknown in the rest of the Scottish 

 Islands. 



Family: SOPdCIDAE. 



6. Sorex TETRAGONURUS, Herman. 



Common Shrew. 



Scot., Shrew-mouse; Ore, Sheer-mouse. 



Gael.. Daltag, Daltag-fheior (from Gael., dall, blind, and fheoir, 

 grass). 



Common in all the mainland counties, as it is said to be in 

 Arran, Islay, and Mull; "not very numerous" in Orkney (Hist. Nat. 

 Ore., p. 14), but some doubt remains as to whether it is not the next 

 species that is found there. According to W. Macgillivray, the 

 Common Shrew is found in the Outer Hebrides on sandy pastures, 

 where it is termed Luch-fheior (Edinb. Journ. Nat. and Geogr. Sc, 

 II., p. 162), a name properly belonging to the Field Yole {infra, p. 

 28); but, as will be seen directly, the Hebridean Shrew is Sorex 

 minutus. 



