COMMON MOLE. 135 



and of the ordinary form, are five toes, with an in- 

 ternal rudimentary toe or appendage ; the claws a 

 little curved, slightly bent inwards, compressed, 

 tapering to a point, and grooved beneath ; the sole 

 bare and rugose, the upper part slightly hairy. The 

 fur or pile is uniform, consisting of under-fur, there 

 being no strong hairs, unless on the tail, and a few 

 short bristles on the snout. The general colour is 

 blackish-grey, viewed against the pile brownish- 

 black, along the pile bluish-grey and glossy ; the 

 lower parts paler, especially the abdomen ; the 

 lower jaw reddish-brown ; the fore neck and fore 

 part of the shoulders slightly tinged with the same 

 colour ; the eyes blackish-grey ; the snout flesh- 

 coloured, as are the bare parts of the feet, as well 

 as the claws. 



The upper incisors, six in number, are nearly of 

 equal length, but the middle pair are much broader ; 

 the lower, eight, slope forwards, and are also nearly 

 of equal length. The upper canine teeth are very 

 large, a little curved, and much compressed ; the 

 lower short, less compressed, and directed obliquely 

 outwards, The first three upper grinders are small, 

 compressed, and pointed ; the other four are large ; 

 the first compressed, conical, and acute ; the se- 

 cond with two large, and three small points ; the 

 third with three outer small points, two larger 

 middle, and an inner ; the fourth small, of a tri- 

 angular form, with five short points. The lower 

 jaw is very narrow, with the teeth slanting out- 

 wards; there are in it also three anterior small, 



