MOLE-RATS. 149 



to be caught -without resistance, although when taken they bite savagely and 

 severely. From three to four young are produced at a birth. The hill-tribes of 

 Burma are in the habit of eating the flesh of these animals. The Sumatran bamboo- 

 rat (R. xuhiatrensis), ranging from Tenasserim to Siam, is a much larger species, 

 measuring from 15 to 19 inches in length, exclusive of the tail. Remains of an 

 extinct bamboo-rat occur in the Pliocene rocks of the Siwalik Hills at the foot of 

 the Himalaya. 



Africa, south of the Sahara, is the habitat of several tvpes of mole- 

 Cape Mole-Rats. ... . . 



rats differing from these above mentioned in the formation of the lower 



jaw, and also by the general presence of premolar teeth. At the Cape there are 

 two species, one of which (Bathyergvs ma/ritirrius) is nearly a foot in length, with 

 the upper incisor teeth grooved, no external ears, and extremely powerful claws ; 

 the silky hair being of a light greyish brown colour. This second species (Georychus 

 capenais) is about half the size of the former, with smooth upper incisors, and 

 weaker claws. The late Prof. Moseley states that the strand-mole (Bothy ergus), 

 which is always found on the flats near the shore, constructs numbers of tunnels 

 and hillocks, the former of which are large enough to easily admit the hand and 

 arm. On the other hand, the runs of the smaller species are generally constructed 

 on higher ground, although sometimes with those of the so-called strand-mole. 

 The hillocks constructed by the latter are generally about a foot in height; those 

 freshly made being of a dark colour. Prof. Moseley writes that "one has not long 

 to watch, standing a few yards off, before the fresh heap is seen to heave up, three 

 or four times in succession, as the strand-mole forces freshly scooped-out earth up 

 into it from below. I tried at first shooting into the heap as it was thus heaving, 

 in the hope of getting the mole, but never w ith any success. In order to shoot the 

 worker, the earth should be quickly thrown hack from the fresh heap, and the hole 

 laid open to the air. One then only has to retire about ten paces and wait patiently. 

 The strand-mole does not like the fresh air, and in the course of five minutes or so 

 comes back to fill up the hole, but usually puts its head out for a moment first to 

 find what's up, though it certainly cannot see far with its minute eyes, which are 

 not bigger than the heads of carpet-pins, the whole eyeball when extracted being 

 not bigger than a tenth of an inch in diameter." When trapped, the animal bites 

 the air fiercely with its enormous front teeth, at the same time uttering a half- 

 snarling, half-growling noise. 



Although there is but a single species of Bathyergus, there are several of 

 Georychus in different parts of Africa. In addition to these there is an allied form, 

 known as Myoscalops, characterised by having usually three pairs of premolar teeth 

 in each jaw, in addition to the three molars. 



Naked Sand Rata ^ le san( ty deserts of Somaliland and Shoa are inhabited by two 



members of the present family, which are some of the most extra- 

 ordinary-looking little creatures in existence. In size the naked sand-rats (Hetero- 

 cephalus) may be compared to a common mouse, but in appearance they are likened 

 by Mr. O. Thomas, on account of their nearly naked skin, small eyes, and peculiar 

 physiognomy, to tiny hairless puppies. They have small heads, with projecting 

 incisor teeth, and no external ears, while the limbs and tail are of moderate length. 

 The eyes are almost functionless ; and, although the feet are fringed with hairs, 



