TALPA. 225 



Hodgson at Darjiling. I cannot see any evidence in Mr. Hodgson's 

 description or in his MS. notes, now in the Zoological (Society's 

 Library, that he examined this raole in the flesh ; and as not one of 

 the numerons collectors in Darjiling, since Mr. Hodgson's time, is 

 known to have come across a second specimen, I cannot help 

 doubting whether the type of T. macrura may not be a European 

 skin, accidentally mixed with Mr. Hodgson's collection. A secoiid 

 specimen in sjjirits has been found amongst the collections of the 

 Indian Museum, now added to the British Museuu), but no 

 locality is recorded. It is worthy of note that, as I am informed 

 by Mr, Oldfield Thomas, a skull from the Altai shows a slight 

 difference in the form of one of the upper molars from European 

 specimens, whereas the supposed Himalayan skull exhibits no such 

 distinction. 



Habits. Moles live in burrows dug by themselves, and of com- 

 plicated form. These have been described by many writei's. The 

 abode itself is usually under a hillock, or beneath roots of trees, 

 and consists of a central chamber with passages leading to two 

 circular galleries, one higher in position and smaller in diameter 

 than the other. Several diverging runs lead from the larger 

 gallery, one alone (the main run) being of great length, and con- 

 ductiug to the burrows dug in various directions for the purpose 

 of procuring food. The last are extended daily, and their preseiice 

 indicated on the surface by small piles of earth, the well-known 

 mole-hills. 



The principal food of the mole consists of earthworms, insects 

 and their larva?, snails and slugs ; mice, shrews, and even frogs are 

 also devoured. No animal is more voracious. Males are more 

 numerous than females and fight for the possession of the latter. 

 The pairing-time is about March in Europe, the period of gestation 

 six weeks, and from four to six young are usually produced at 

 once. Moles take to water reacHly and swim well. 



112. Talpa micnira. The slwrt-taUed Mole. 



Talpa micrura, Hodfjs. J. A. S. B. x, p. 910 ; Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi, 

 p. 95 ; xix, p. 215, pi. iv, fig. 2 (skull) ; id. Cat. p. 88 ; Jerdon, 

 Mam. p. 51 ; Dohson, Mon. Ins. p. 139. 



Talpa cryptura, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xii, pp. 177, 928. 



Fariam, Lepcha ; Biyu-kantyein, Bhot. 



Tail extremely short, nearly naked, and completely concealed by 

 the fur ; caudal vertebrse 8. Eeet nearly naked above. Eyes 

 covered by skin. 



Fourth upper premolar with a large internal basal process. 

 Eourth lower premolar as large as the first or larger. 



Colour uniform velvety black when fresh, with a more or less 

 silvery grey gloss ; basal portion of fur leaden grey to leaden 

 black. Dried skins are often brown. Snout and feet whitish or 

 pale flesh-colour. 



Dimensions in spirit : head and body 4*75 inches, tail 0*2, fore 



Q 



