COMMON MOLE. 21 
complete, as the figures of the skull of this species (figs. 
9 & 10) demonstrate. 
These figures may afford acceptable aid to the collectors 
of fossil bones, who have not the recent Fig. 10. 
skeleton at hand for comparison. The 
dentition of the fossil, as in the recent 
mole, ‘consists of eleven teeth on each 
side of both upper and lower jaws. The 
first three in the upper jaw are small, 
simple, and implanted by a single fang: 
the fourth resembles a canine tooth by the 
size and shape of its crown, but it has two 
fangs, like the three succeeding premolars of the upper 
jaw; the last three teeth are implanted by three fangs, and 
their large and complicated crowns and their mode of suc- 
ceeding the deciduous teeth, prove them unquestionably to be 
true molars. In the lower jaw the first four teeth are small, 
simple, and with single fangs; the fifth corresponds in 
shape and development of the crown with the canine- 
shaped tooth above, but it has also two fangs, and more- 
over passes behind that tooth when the mouth is closed, 
which is contrary to the relative position of the true canme 
teeth in Carnivora; all the remaining teeth of the lower 
jaw are implanted by two fangs each, the last three being 
evidently true molars. The letters in cut 9 indicate the 
classification of the Mole’s teeth, according to the views 
adopted by Professor Bell;* the letter ¢ indicating the 
incisors; ¢, the canines; p, the premolars, and m, the true 
molars. 
Professor de Blainville regards the upper canine as an 
incisor; I much regret that I have not hitherto had an 
opportunity of examining a Mole young enough to shew 
* British Quadrupeds, p. 85. 
