1853.] 327 



differences. In color the specimen precisely resembles Talpa europaea ; the hair 

 of the tail is, however, entirely black. 



Nose to root of tail ..... 4*8 inches. 

 Tail '8 *' 



Locality unknown. For this new species the name T. reposta is pro- 

 posed. 



2. Dentes 44, incisivis mediis superioribus magnis, dente 4to superiore vix 

 elonsrato : rostrum elongatum, gracile naribus vel lateralibus, vel supernis ; pedes 

 postici non palmati. 



Of Th^' seven teeth following the enlarged incisors of the upper jaw, the three 

 first are pointed, conical, and increase gradually in size; the three next are 

 small, very slightly compressed, and also increase a little in size; the 7th is 

 triangular, moderately large, and has a small antero-internal cusp, which is 

 larger in T. Breweri than in the other species, which seem to differ principally 

 in color. The following table will express the relations : 



Nares laterales. 

 Cinereo-nigra, Cauda longa, valJe pilosa . . . Breweri. 



Nares superni, cauda brevi parce pilosa. 

 7?^neo brunea ungues f.ntici niirri .... aenea.* 



Concolor, (fusco-nigra) pedibus solis pallidioribus . Townsendii. 



Cinereo-nigra, pedibus pallidis, fronte vittaque inferna 



albis ......... taeniata. 



The singularly marked specimens referred by Dr. Bachman (Jour. Acad. 8, 

 58, and Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 4, 31,) as varieties of Scalops Tow^u'endii, and 

 afterwards (Quadr. of America, pi. 145,) erroneously figured by Mr. Audu- 

 bon as the type, seem to present sufficient characters to rank as a distinct 

 species. The third tooth of the upper jaw following the large incisor is 

 more elongated than in the true Talpa Townsendii : the posterior cusps of the 

 7lli and 8th lower teeth, although distinct, are smaller than in T. Townsendii, 

 and there is no distinct internal basal margin coimected with the cusp. I have, 

 therefore, separated it as distinct under the name Talpa 1 ae n i a t a. 



3. Dentes 36, primo superiore, 2do inferiore magnis, rostrum subdepressum, 

 naribus supernis ; pedes postici palmati. 



This group contains the typical Scalops aquaticus, and probably also S. 1 a t i- 

 ra a n u s Bachman, (Bost. Journ. 4, 34), which differs by its coarser and slightly 

 curled hair, and larger anterior feet. A specimen in the Academy differs from 

 S. aquaticus in being much larger (equal in size to Talpa Europaea,,) and in 

 having much larger anterior feet : the hair is, however, soft and lustrous, as in 

 T. a q u a t ic a ; ihe color is uniform yellowish brovvn at tip, dark cinereous at 

 base; feet and tail pale; the latter is short and naked. This appears to be the 

 yellow mole of Pi^nnant, (Synops. Quadrupeds, p. 312,) described from a speci- 

 men without teeth, and referred, on account of its size, to T. europaea. The 

 dentition of our specimen shows no difference worthy of notice. This species 

 should be called Talpa Pennant i"i. 



Unknown in recent times is Talpa cupreata Raf. (Precis des decouvertes 

 et travaux Somiologiques, Palerme, 1814, page 14.) The description is as 

 follows : 



*' Queue le septieme de la longueur, totale brun luisant argente, a reflets 

 cuivres et pourpres, gorge legerement roussatre, museau couleur de chair et nu, 

 pieds concolors. Obs. De I'Amer. septentrionale." 



Probably identical with this species is the black and shining purple mole from 

 Virginia described by Seba, p. 51, plate 32, and the purple species described by 

 Dr. T. W. Harris, in the New England Farmer. 



* Scalops aneiis Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. 6, 299. 



