4(3 HOURS WITH NATURE. 



skin.* The short ears are concealed by the fur; the 

 tail is very short. 



The moles are found in Europe, portions of Asia, 

 including Japan, and North America. In India they are 

 confined to the Himalayas, and the hills of Assam and 

 Cachar. 



THE SHORT-TAILED MOLE. (Talpa niicrura Hodg./ 

 is found in Nepal, Sikhim, and the hills south of 

 Assam. It is not uncommon about Darjeeling, especi- 

 ally where there are decayed stumps of forest trees 

 abounding in earthworms and larvae of insects which 

 afford food for the mole. The moles breed in summer, 

 or at the beginning of rains, and have generally half a 

 dozen young ones which quickly attain their full size. 



While speaking of these animals it will not be unin- 

 teresting to make mention of another group of insecti- 

 vorous animals known as : 



HEDGEHOGS. 



They are small rat-like insect-eating animals, of , 

 which the characteristic peculiarity is the presence of 

 small spines on the back and sides. They are popularly 

 called Kantackuha or Shahichuha that is, spiny rat or 

 porcupine rat. There are several species of hedgehogs 

 found in India, of which Hardwicke's Hedgehog 

 (Ermaceus collaris Gray and Hardw.) inhabits North- 

 Western India, the Punjab, and Sindh, The South 

 Indian Hedgehog (Ermaceus mtcropus^B\yt\\) is an in- 



* Except in one species, the Common Mole (Talpa europaea). 



