606 THE SLEPEZ MOLE RAT. 
The Marmot is a clumsy looking animal, and is not very active. Its movements are 
rather slow, and devoid of that brilliant activity which distinguishes the Leopard Marmot. 
Although it is easily tamed when taken young, it hardly repays the trouble of its owner, 
as it is a very unintellectual creature, and is ever too ready to use its powerful teeth upon 
the hand of any one who may attempt to handle or caress it. Naturally it is a timid 
animal, but when it finds itself unable to escape, it turns to bay and fights most desperately 
by means of the weapons with which its jaws are furnished. 
Av the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are grouped together 
unde the title of Aspaldcide, or Mole Rats, the word Aspalax, or Spalax, being the Greek 
term for a mole. The incisor teeth of these animals are extremely large, and project 
beyond the lips. The external ears are either wholly wanting or are of very small 
dimensions. The eyes are small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The 
body is heavily and clumsily made, the tail is either very short or entirely absent, and the 
head is large and rounded. 
SLEPEZ MOLE RAT.—Spulax Typhlus. 
The common More Rav, which is also known by its Russian name of SLEPEZ, is a 
native of Southern Russia, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Syria. Like the ordinary mole, 
to which it bears no little external resemblance, it passes its existence in the subterranean 
tunnels which it excavates by means of its powerful claws. As it but seldom ventures 
into the light of day, it stands in no need of visual organs, but is compensated for their 
absence by the very large development of the organs of hearing. The place of the eyes is 
taken by two little round black specks, which lie under the fur-covered skin, so that even 
if they were sensitive to light, they would be unable to perceive the brightest rays of the 
noontide sun. The ears, however, are extremely large, and the hearing is exceedingly 
sensitive, so that the animal receives earlier information of danger through its sense of 
hearing than through that of sight, which latter faculty would indeed be useless in its 
dark abode. Sometimes the Slepez leaves the burrow and lies basking in the warm 
sunshine, but upon the least alarm, or unexpected sound, it plunges into its tunnel, and 
will not again make its appearance until it feels perfectly assured of safety. 
