516 On the Mole of the Roman District. 



Fig. 3. Ventral surface of the prosoma of a species of Dicranolnsma (3 A) 

 and of Ti-ofjulus (3 B), two of the Eupa2"nsterni, with the genital 

 prolongation of tkp opisthosoma removed. The lettering- as in 

 fig. 2. (For tlie sake of clearuess the distinctness uf the labium 

 in these fitrures is exaggerated.) 



Fig. 4. Median portion of ventral surface of prosoma of a species of 

 Adceiim (A) and of Tricenohunus (Bj, with the genital plate of 

 the opisthosoma removed. III-VI, coxae of the third to the 

 sixth appendages ; lb., labial portion of sternum ; mv. 3, mx. 4, 

 maxillary processes of third and fourth pairs of appendages ; 

 St., sternum overlap])ed in front bv the coxtB of the fourth ap- 

 pendage on each side ; mh., membrane in front of the genital 

 orifice (g), representing, perhaps, the sternal area of the genital 

 somite. C. Sternum of Larifuga (after Loman). 



Fig. 5. Median portion of ventral surface of prosoma of a species of 

 Acumontia (A), one of the Triainonychidie, and of a species of 

 Gonjleptidae (B). Lettering as in iig. 4. 



LXXT. — On the Mole of the Roman District. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



The British ]\Inseuni owes to the kindness of Dr. L. Sambon 

 two moles obtained by him during- the important malaria 

 experiments carried out by him during tlie summer of 1900. 



An examination of the skulls of these specimens shows 

 that they differ widely both from the common European mole 

 {Talpa europcca) and Savi's mole [Talpa cceca) by the very 

 much greater size of their teeth and certain other cranial 

 characters, and are clearly separable specifically. Talpa cceca 

 has, if anything, even smaller teeth than T. europcea. 



Talpa romana, sp. n. 



Colour and proportions about as in T. europcea ; orbits 

 apparently covered by skin, but this is not absolutely deter- 

 minable. 



Skull of about the same length as that of T. europcea, but 

 somewhat more heavily built ; zygomata thicker and percep- 

 tibly longer, their hinder end starting from the brain-case 

 nearer its external angles and nearly or quite above the ante- 

 rior pait of the meatus instead of wholly in front of it; 

 lacrymal foramina markedly larger than usual. 



Teeth, and especially molars, conspicuously larger through- 

 out ; upper incisors broad, closely touching one another, the 

 median pair larger in proportion to the others than in the 

 common mole; molars much larger and heavier in every 

 direction, broader, with larger internal lobes, higher and longer 

 than in any other European form. The combined length of 



