THE MOLE. 29 



can not but be struck with the wonderful manner in which they 

 emerge from the earth with unsoiled fur. This capability is the 

 more remarkable in the animal now under consideration, be- 

 cause it is continually engaged in making new tunnels, and is 

 not content merely to pass up and down a passage already ex- 

 cavated. The sides of the passages, which are popularly known 

 as the high roads, are by degrees worn quite smooth by the at- 

 trition of the Mole's body, so that in them there is little danger 

 of injury accruing to the fur. But that an animal should be able 

 to pass unsoiled through earth of all textures is a really remark- 

 able phenomenon, which is partly to be explained by the charac- 

 ter of the hair, and partly by that of the skin. 



The hair of the Mole is notable for its velvety aspect, and its 

 want of " set." The tips of the hairs do not point in any partic- 

 ular direction, but may be pressed equally forward or backward 

 or to either side. The microscope reveals the cause of this pe- 

 culiarity. The hair is extremely fine at its exit from the skin, 

 and gradually increases in thickness. When it has reached its 

 full width, it again diminishes. This alternation of tenuity and 

 thickness occurs several times in each hair, and gives the pecul- 

 iar velvet-like texture with which we are all so familiar. There 

 is scarcely any coloring matter in the slender portions of the 

 hair, and the characteristic changeability of the blackish-brown 

 hues is owing to this structure. 



Perhaps the reader may not have noticed that when the fur of 

 the Mole has been thoroughly cleansed, it has a strong iridescence 

 in certain lights, assuming various beautiful tints, among which a 

 ruddy copper is the most prevalent. 



Another reason for the cleanliness of the fur is the strong, 

 though membranous muscle beneath the skin. "While the Mole 

 is engaged in tunneling, particularly in loose earth, the soil falls 

 upon the fur, and for a time clings to it. But, at tolerably regu- 

 lar intervals, the creature gives the skin a sharp and powerful 

 shake, which throws off at once the whole of the mould that has 

 collected upon the fur. Some amount of dust still retains its 

 hold, for, however clean the fur of a Mole may seem to be, if the 

 creature be placed for an hour in water, a considerable quantity 

 of earth will be dissolved away, and fall to the bottom of the ves- 

 sel. The improvement in the fur after being well washed with 

 soft tepid water and soap, is almost incredible. 



Many persons have been struck with such admiration of the 



