COMMON MOLE. 61 



one or more of these interesting animals in the exhibition 

 rooms at Exeter 'Change ; and several of them are 

 allowed to run about, almost wild, in the park at 

 Kew. 



Such is their size, that some of them have been 

 known to measure as much as nine feet from the tip of 

 the nose to the end of the tail. They are peculiarly 

 thick round the belly and hips, tapering gradually 

 upward towards the head. The fore legs are seldom 

 more than about one-third the length of the hind ones. 

 The latter are naked on the under side, from the circum- 

 stance of the animals constantly resting upon them. The 

 claws are three in number, of which the middle one is 

 by much the largest : this is divided through its whole 

 length, and the division is continued even through the 

 ball of the toe. The two front teeth in the lower jaw 

 are so constructed, that the animal has the power of 

 separating and closing them at pleasure. The ears are 

 erect. The fur is soft, and of a somewhat cinereous 

 colour. 



20. MOLE TRIBE. 



All the animals of the present tribe live in burrows, 

 which they form under the surface of the ground. They 

 have no external ears ; and their eyes are so small as 

 scarcely to be visible. 



Common Mole. Miserable and wretched as many 

 persons may, thoughtlessly, be inclined to consider the 

 Mole, if we carefully examine into his wants, and attend 

 to his habits of life, we shall find that he has every 

 requisite for his situation and circumstances. By means 

 of his strong and powerful fore feet he is enabled to dig 

 his subterraneous passages with singular quickness and 



