CHANGES FOR ADAPTATION IN THE MOLE 363 
Another peculiarity in this animal is that the abdominal cavity, 
being extended greatly beyond the pelvis, the vagina, the rectum, and 
the urinary passage terminate considerably further back than in other 
animals. The opening of the rectum is opposite to the articulation of 
the fourth with the fifth caudal vertebrae. 
This is a unique condition which I believe is restricted to the 
Talpidae. It gives to the posterior part of the animal a conical 
appearance and makes the body appear longer. This apparent 
increase, however, in no way interferes with the flexibility of 
the animal. 
SUMMARY 
The fossorial habit of the mole has resulted in practically the 
loss of the sense of sight. ‘To compensate for this, special tactile 
organs have been developed. 
To accomplish the digging, the sternum, pectoral girdle, and 
fore limbs have been greatly enlarged and modified, thus in- 
creasing the size of this part of the body. 
To allow the increased size of the anterior part of the body 
to pass the posterior part when the animal turns in its burrow, 
the pelvic girdle has been very much reduced in diameter. 
The reduction in the size of the pelvis has so narrowed the 
pelvic outlet, that it is impossible for the urogenital and ali- 
mentary tracts to pass through it and still function. This 
necessitated their passage outside of the bony arch—a condition 
very unusual in mammals. 
All these remarkable modifications from the mammalian type 
specially fit the mole for the peculiar environment in which it 
lives. 
