498 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 

 Family TALPID^. 



Moles. 



Moles differ from shrews in having more numerous teeth, in the 

 presence of canines, in having concealed eyes, and in the peculiar 

 development of the fore legs, which are short, stout and adapted for 

 digging. 



SCALOPS, Cuv. 

 S. aquaticus, L. Common Mole. 



Dark leaden color, paler below ; feet full webbed ; eyes not 

 covered by skin ; tail short, nearly naked. 36 teeth. 



" Common everywhere, provided the soil is loose enough to 

 permit its subterranean travels. Is probably more abundant in 

 the moist meadow lands than in the high and dryer sections. 

 Feeds almost wholly upon earth-worms, and destroys so many 

 that unless they (the moles) are very abundant, are more useful 

 than otherwise. Moles arrange their nests at a somewhat greater 

 depth than they usually burrow at. The young are littered in 

 May, seldom more than three being born at one littering. The 

 prevalent idea that moles are blind is erroneous." 



SOAPANUS, Pom. 



(Scalops— Abbott's Catalogue.) 



S. bre"weri, Bach. Hairy-tailed Mole. 



Color dark leaden, with brown gloss. Tail short and very 

 hairy. 44 teeth. 



" Is much less abundant than the preceding,' to which it bears 

 a great resemblance. This mole seems to prefer wet, low grounds, 

 even more than the preceding species, and burrows somewhat 

 deeper. The nests are also further below the surface. They 

 feed almost wholly upon the common earth-worm, and when 

 placed in a box with a quantity of worms, they have been known 

 to kill themselves by over-eating." 



CONDYLURA, Illig. 

 C. cristata, L. Star-nosed Mole. 



Color blackish ; tail nearly as long as body. Long nose, 

 fringed at end with a circle of fleshy projections. 44 teeth. 



