MOLE. 15 



swinging from the rod that has straightened itself, and can 

 then indulge in a close inspection of his form and structure. 

 In pasture-land the mole-hills often appear to occupy more 

 space than the intervening surface. 



The velvet-clad body is cylindrical, with the fore-limbs set 

 well forward opposite the short neck. The long muzzle is 

 blunt-pointed and terminated by the nostrils, which are close 

 together. His eyes are mere points that have to be searched 

 for among the close fur, and the same applies to the ears which 

 have no external shell. Shakespeare, who thought the Mole 

 sightless, was aware of his acute sense of hearing 



" Pray you, tread softly, that the blind Mole may not 

 Hear a footfall." 



The flexible snout is adapted for turning up the earth after the 

 immense hands with their large, strong nails have loosened it. 

 They are wide-open hands that cannot be closed and the palms 

 always face outwards. The hairs constituting the velvety fur 

 are all set vertically, so that they will lie forwards or back- 

 wards or to either side ; and the colour appears to change 

 according to our point of view two persons viewing the same 

 Mole can describe it correctly as black and as grey. It is really 

 a dark grey. 



The teeth should be examined. In the upper jaw there are 

 six incisors of equal size three on each side two comparatively 

 large canines of triangular shape and flattened from the sides, 

 eight little premolars and six molars. In the lower jaw the 

 dentition is somewhat puzzling, as the canines are similar to the 

 incisors and the first premolar is developed into a suitable 

 mate for the upper canine. These are not teeth designed for 

 gnawing like those of the Rat and Rabbit ; they are for biting 

 insects and other small creatures, and agree in general with 

 those of the Shrews. The formula stands thus : 





= 44- 



