1140 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



;g The species is supposed to pair. The matirfg takes place 



in November. It is signaUzed in a unique manner. As the 

 neck of a Deer or the throat feathering of a ruff become 

 greatly enlarged in the rut, so the tail of the Star-nose swells to 

 double its usual size during the time of ardent passion. 



Dr. Harlan, not knowing of this periodic change, supposed 

 the thick-tailed one to be a new species, and named it ma- 

 croura^^ 



A nest of this animal dug out by Audubon and Bachman'^ 

 was approached by a long winding burrow, and situated in a 

 . large excavation under a stump; it was quite "spacious and 

 composed of withered grasses." 



G It contained "3 young, apparently a week old. The 



radiations in the nose were so slightly developed that, until we 

 carefully examined them, we supposed they were the young 

 of the common Shrew-mole." 



Other authorities set the number of young from 4 to 6. 

 The history of their development is not further known. " Two 

 or more litters are produced each season." '^ {Merriam.) 



s "If we may judge by its remarkable resemblance to that 



of the Muskrat [says Rhoads]," his tail is often brought to play 

 in swimming. I have no doubt that the anatomy of this 

 species, as well as its chosen habitat, infallibly indicates a much 

 more aquatic life than we have yet been able to prove by actual 

 observation." 



This accords very well with my own experience. Two 

 specimens which I got from Toronto marsh were taken while 

 swimming in the water under the ice. 



On July 7, 1909, at Cos Cob, Conn., I received an adult 

 male Star-nosed Mole captured alive by a stream, not in the 

 water, but running along a mossy bank. 



" Fauna Americana, 1825, p. 39. 



" Quad. N. A., 1849, Vol. II, p. 142. 



" Mam. Adir., 1884, p. 152. '• Mam. Penna, 1903, p. 207. 



