120 TALPADiE. 



the necessary pre-eminence of tliat of smelling. There 

 can, indeed, be no doubt that to the latter sense the 

 Mole is indebted for the perception of its food, of its 

 enemies, and of its mate ; at the same time it appears to 

 be much assisted by that of hearing, which, without the 

 usual aids of an external conch, is certainly very acute. 

 Shakspeare was not unmindful of this fact : 



"Pray yoii, tread softly, that the blind Slole may not 

 Hear a foot-fall ! "' 



This is not perhaps the proper place to enter into an 

 anatomical discussion to decide the long-contested and 

 interesting question, whether the Mole possesses true 

 vision or not. The actual existence of a visual organ, 

 though in an imperfect state of development, is well 

 known ; and the open condition of the eyelids, in the 

 common species at least, would lead to the conclusion 

 that this sense is not absolutely wanting to it. But the 

 following experiment, instituted by Le Court, witnessed 

 and recorded by Geoffrey St. Hilaire, appears to set the 

 question at rest. It was made for the purpose of satis- 

 fying the doubts of this celebrated physiologist, and was 

 conducted in the following manner : — A disused water- 

 pipe or gutter was selected, in which were two openings, 

 one forming the entrance, the other the exit. Into this 

 tube several Moles were successively introduced, Le 

 Court and his companion watching at the opposite open- 

 ing. Whilst they remained perfectly motionless, the 

 Mole quickly traversed the pipe and escaped ; but if, on 

 making its appearance at the opening, a finger were but 

 raised, it was sufficient to check its progress, and to occa- 

 sion its precipitate retreat. This was repeatedly tried, 

 and with the same invariable result. 



But, it may be asked, if the Mole be really possessed 

 of vision, how can we reconcile to this fact the decided 



