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THE SLEPEX MOLE RAT. 



The Marmot is a clumsy looking animal, and is not very active. Its movements are 

 rather slow, and devoid of that brilliant activity which distinguishes the Leopard 

 Marmot. Although it is easily tamed when taken young, it hardly repays the trouble 

 of its owner, as it is a very unintellectual creature, and is ever too ready to use its 

 powerful teeth upon the hand of any one who may attempt to handle or caress it. Nat- 

 urally it is a timid animal, but when it finds itself unable to escape, it turns to bay and 

 fights most desperately by means of the weapons with which its jaws are furnished. 



AT the end of the rodents are placed the singular animals which are grouped together 

 under the title of Aspalacidae, or Mole Rats, the word Aspalax, or Spalax, being the 

 Greek term for a mole. The incisor teeth of these animals are extremely large, and 

 project beyond the lips. The external ears are either wholly wanting or are of very small 

 dimensions. The eyes are small, and in some species are concealed by the skin. The 

 body is heavily and clumsily made, the tail is either very short or entirely absent, and 

 fhe head is large and rounded. 



^^$22? 

 SLEPEZ MOLE RAT. Spa/ax Typhlus. 



The common MOLE RAT, which is also known by its Russian name of SLEPEZ, is a 

 native of Southern Russia, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia and Syria. Like the ordinary 

 mole, to which it bears no little external resemblance, it passes its existence in the 

 subterranean tunnels which it excavates by means of its powerful claws. As it but 

 seldom ventures into the light of day, it stands in no need of visual organs, but is com- 

 pensated for their absence by the very large development of the organs of hearing. 

 The place of the eyes is taken by two little round black specks, which lie under the 

 fur-covered skin, so that even if they were sensitive to light, they would be unable to 

 perceive the brightest rays of the noontide sun. The ears, however, are extremely 

 large, and the hearing is exceedingly sensitive, so that the animal receives earlier in- 

 formation of danger through its sense of hearing than through that of sight, which 

 latter faculty would indeed be useless in its dark abode. Sometimes the Slepez leaves 

 the burrow and lies basking in the warm sunshine, but upon the least alarm, or un- 

 expected sound, it plunges into its' tunnel, and will not again make its appearance until 

 it feels perfectly assured of safety. 



