Till': COI.DKN MOLES. 163 



palc-ycllow below, almost white on tiic throat. Length of body fifteen 

 inclies ; ot tail, iiiiic inelics. 



It is found aioiio- i\a- water-couises of elcar streams, and iiides under 

 rocks waiting for hsii. il swims very last. The great motive-power 

 of the animal seems t(j be in its tail." 



THE GOLDEN MOLES. 



'J"he family Ciikysociilokid.v: is divided into /7ao genera of very 

 remarkable mole-like animals with a [Kauliltd silky fur >)'. a metallic 

 lustre and changeable golden tints. Their dentition clearly distinguishes 

 them from the true moles. The teeth are separated from each otiier by 

 an interval equal to their thickness, so that when the jaws are shut, tiie 

 teeth of one jaw fall into tiir' interstices between the teeth in the oth';r. 

 This is the only known example of such an arrangement. The skele- 

 ton, too, has nineteen pairs of ribs. The fore-feet have four toes ; tlic 

 fourth is small, the other three have powerful claws fitted for digging, 

 while the claw of the mi(hlle toe is of formidable dimensions. The 

 hind feet are small and iive-tocd. The eye is invisiiile, being covered 

 with skin. The limbs arc very short, the tail rudimentary, and the snout 

 abruptly truncated. These moles arc found in South Africa. The two 

 genera differ chiefly in the lustre of their fur. The first, Clirysoclilom, 

 has a gf)lden reflection; tlie second, Calcliocliloris, has a more co|)pcry 

 tinge. The tltrcc species come from the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, and 

 Mozambique. 



The Changeable Mole, Clirysochloris holoscricea, is the most common 

 species, and is distinguished by the long silky texture of its fur. 



THE TALPID/E OR MOLES. 



We now come to a family which comjjrises many extraordinary forms 

 of small mammalia, especially characteristic of the temperate regions of 

 the Eastern Hemisphere. It is divided into eight genera. 



I.— GENUS TALPA. 



This genus is quite unknown in America, but is exceedingly common 

 in Europe. It forms seven species. 



