22(5 TALl'ID.'E. 



foot and claws O-O, liind foot and claws 0'8. In fresh specimens 

 the head and body measure 5 to G inches. Length of skull 1"37 

 inclies. AVeight 2| oz. 



DUtr'diution. The south-western Himalayas, especially Nejial 

 and 8ikhim, and the hills south of Assam. About Darjiling this 

 animal occurs at a moderate elevation, 500U or (3000 to bOOO feet, 



Fig. 61. — TaljM micrtira. (From Hodgson's drawings.) 



and is common near the station. It may be found at lower levels. 

 Dohson gi\es Kashmir amongst the localities, perhaps on the 

 authority of Mountstewart Elphinstone (' Caubul,' p. 142) ; hut in 

 this case, and in Kumaon, where also moles have been said to 

 occur (As. Ees.xvi, p. 153), it is possible that piles of earth thrown 

 out by JVesol-ice have been mistaken for mole-hills. The instances 

 mentioned are quoted by Blyth (J. A. 8. 15. xi, p. 95). 



Hahits. Around Darjiling the short-tailed mole inhabits the 

 deep bed of black vegetable mould found w here^er the original 

 forest has not been destroyed. This mould contains cart hw onus 

 and larva; of insects, the chief food of moles, in abundance. 

 Jerdon noticed that the runs of T. inicrura often proceeded from 

 the base of one great oak to that of another. ISuch runs are not 

 maiked by mole-hills, as in the case of the European species. 

 Nothing is known of the breeding of T. micrura. 



113. Talpa leucura. T/ie wJilte-kiiled Hole. 



Talpa leucma, UlijfJi, J. A. S. B. xix,p. 215, pi. iv, fip-8. 1, 1 a (slaill 

 iV- tail) (1^<50) ; XX, p. 518 ; xxviii, p. ii04 ; id. Cut. p. 8« ; id. IMam. 

 Birds Btiniia, p. 'Al',\ A^uhrsv^i, Cat. p. 170. 



I'arascaptor leutura, Uubsvn, Mon. Ins. p. 140. 





Fig. 62.— Dentition of Taljw Icvmra. (Dobson, Mon. Ins. pi. xx.) 



Snialler than T. viicruni, and muzzle shorter. Tail about one 

 twelfth of total length or rather more, club-shap(>d, being thicker 

 towards the end than near the base, thinly clad, the hairs coarser 

 and longer than those of the body. Caudal vertebne 8. Eyes 

 covered. 



