RODENT-MOLES. 29 



Moreover, if we look at the fore-limb, we find instead of 

 the five-fingered hand of the mole that there are but four 

 digits, of which the lateral pair are small, while the two 

 middle ones are enlarged and furnished with triangular 

 claws of great power. As in the true moles, all external 

 traces of ears and eyes are concealed by the fur ; this 

 latter, it may be added, having a peculiar golden-green 

 metallic lustre, from which the name of the animal is 

 derived. The golden moles, of which there are several 

 species, are much smaller than our English mole, and are 

 widely distributed in South Africa ; in which continent 

 they, in conjunction with the under-mentioned sand- mole 

 and its allies, take the place occupied in the northern 

 hemisphere by the true moles. In tunnelling, the golden 

 moles come so close to the surface as to leave a ridge 

 marking their course. The true moles and the golden 

 moles afford us, therefore, an instance of two entirely 

 distinct groups belonging to the same order having 

 assumed a perfectly similar mode of life, and, con- 

 sequently, having acquired a superficial general similarity 

 in external appearance. 



With the rodent-moles, of which there is likewise more 

 than a single group, we come to animals of a totally 

 different order, which have assumed a mole-like form and 

 habits, and are popularly confounded with the true moles. 

 In common with the other members of the order Bodentia, 

 all these rodent-moles are characterized by the presence 

 of a pair of powerful chisel-like incisor teeth in the front 

 of each jaw, while their molars have broad and flattened 

 crowns adapted for grinding. Moreover, instead of driving 

 their tunnels in search of worms, these rodent-moles 

 burrow for roots and bulbs. All of them have very small 

 or rudimentary ears and eyes, large and powerful claws, 

 and short tails. 



One of the best known of these rodent- moles is the great 

 mole-rat (Spalax), ranging from south-eastern Europe 

 to Persia and Egypt, in which the eyes are completely 

 covered with skin ; allied to which are the bamboo-rats 

 (Rhizomys) of north-eastern Africa and Asia, distinguished 

 by having minute uncovered eyes and small naked ear- 



