lo TALPID^— TALPA 



the organs decrease, and by the end of May have returned to their 

 minimum size, which they retain for the rest of the year (Adams, 

 op. cit.). 



The skull and teeth are typical of the genus. 



Individual colour variation is very frequent. The most usual types 

 may be arranged in three classes, viz., (i) true pink-eyed albinos ; 

 (2) those with yellow or whitish markings ; (3) ashy or silver grey. 



Class I — Absolutely white specimens with pink eyes are almost or 

 quite unknown, but there are on record a cream-coloured one from near 

 Eton (Clark-Kennedy, Zoologist, 1867, 702) and an "orange-pink" 

 male, with dusky shading on the back, from Somerset (Garnett, Field, 

 2 1st June 1902, 978), each with pink eyes. 



Class 2 includes numerous individuals displaying almost every form 

 of gradation from wholly whitish, but not absolutely white, to normal, 

 with orange, yellowish, or whitish markings. These markings most 

 usually take the form of a patch or streak on the throat or abdomen, 

 and in such cases there are usually a few whitish hairs on the feet and 

 tail (see Service's figures, Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 1903, pi. i.). In many 

 of the wholly cream-coloured forms, the throat and under side are more 

 or less completely tinted with rich orange and ferruginous hues, which 

 may extend to the limbs, cheeks, nape, or dorsal line (Southwell, 

 Zoologist, 1888, 22). Variations of the above type are so numerous 

 that they can hardly be styled abnormal. They are often confined 

 to definite areas (Service ; see also Perkins, Field, loth April 1909, 

 641), and in some localities, as near Oby and Clippesby in Norfolk 

 (Southwell, Trans. Norfolk and Norwich Nat. Soc.,\n., 25th March 1884, 

 66"/), and on Gullane Links, Haddington (W. Evans, in lit.), they are 

 common, and appear to be restricted to certain families, in which all the 

 young of a litter may be affected. 



In some cases associated with the above type the tips of the hairs 

 remain of a dusky colour, although the bases are light (Aplin, Zoologist, 

 1882, 351). In a female described by Service {Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 

 1904, 66), the general colour was glossy slate-black, with suggestions 

 of plum-blue on the upper side ; the light hair-bases were restricted to 

 the under side. In another example, sent for examination by Forrest, 

 all the hairs were bicoloured, with the bases on the right side only of 

 the body tinted with orarige ; the central abdominal region, a throat- 

 patch, and a band running across the head between the eyes and snout, 

 were also orange. 



Pied or skewbald varieties, other than as described above, are 

 quite rare ; one is stated to have had two white spots on the back, 

 the white hairs being of unusual length (Ford, Zoologist, 1882, 263); 

 as was also the case with one from Bristol (Charbonnier) ; others were 

 cream or orange coloured, mottled or striped with black (Cordeaux, 



