26 MOLES AND THEIR LIKE. 



the most remote kinship with our English mole. Finally, 

 the deserts of central South Australia are the dwelling- 

 place of the "marsupial mole," which, although mole-like 

 in general form, differs from all the animals yet mentioned 

 in belonging to the marsupial order. 



We thus arrive at the conclusion that in the popular 

 sense the term "mole" now serves to indicate a number 

 of widely different animals, whose sole or chief bond of 

 union is to be found in their adaptation to a similar mode 

 of life, and their consequent assumption of a more or less 

 similar outward form. H ence, in order to avoid confusion, 

 it will be necessary to prefix the epithet u true " to those 

 species which belong to the same family group as the 

 " little gentleman in black velvet," while the remainder 

 must be designated by other distinctive epithets. It might 

 have been thought that such an expanded application of 

 the name "mole" was restricted to popular language. 

 This, however, is not the case, as naturalists have found it 

 convenient to adopt the names " sand-mole," " golden 

 mole," " marsupial mole," etc., as the distinctive titles of 

 different members of this purely artificial assemblage of 

 animals ; and the reader will accordingly understand that 

 when we speak of "moles and their like," we merely 

 refer to a similarity in habits, and a more or less marked 

 external resemblance between the animals under consider- 

 ation. 



The general bodily form of the common mole is so 

 thoroughly well known and familiar, that the term " mole- 

 like " has been introduced into zoological, if not into 

 popular, literature as a definite descriptive epithet. Since 

 it is perfectly obvious that this peculiar form is the one 

 best adapted for the needs of the creature's subterranean 

 existence, no explanation is necessary why most of the 

 other members of the assemblage have conformed more or 

 less closely to the same type. We may especially notice 

 the flat, tapering, and sharp-nosed head, passing backwards 

 without any distinctly defined neck into the long and 

 cylindrical body ; the comparative shortness of the limbs, 

 and the immense strength of the front pair, which are 

 placed close to the head, and have their feet expanded into 



