194 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



known only by the description and figure given of it by 

 Seba. It is only, therefore, in consequence of the resem- 

 blance of its paws with those of the Chrysochlore that it has 

 been admitted into this genus. Seba, it is true, says that 

 this Mole has but four toes on the hind feet ; but as he 

 has given but four to his Siberian Mole, which he com- 

 pares to his red Mole, it is probable that in both species 

 the external toe, which is remarkably small, had escaped 

 his notice. If we may judge by the figure given by this 

 author, this species has a tail. We shall conclude this 

 notice of the Chrysochlores with his description of the 

 Talpa rubra. 



This mole is of a red, bordering on a clear ash-colour. 

 It resembles considerably the common Mole, only that the 

 fore-feet are formed differently, being only divided into 

 three toes, the first of which is armed with a nail very large 

 and long, pointed, and a little curved. The middle toe is 

 the smallest, and its nail also. The third is also very small. 

 The hinder feet are divided into four toes, armed with 

 nails almost equal. 



We shall now proceed to the Moles, the most interest- 

 ing subdivision of the insectivorous family. 



The genus Talpa of Gmelin consists of four species, 

 which are thus named, — T. Europaa, T. Asiatica, T. longi- 

 caudata, and T. rubra. Two of these, the Asiatica and the 

 rubra have, as we have just seen, been separated from the 

 Moles by later naturalists to form the new subdivision of the 

 Chrysochlores. The Talpa longicaudata is too little known 

 to render it possible that we can refer it with precision to 

 any established genus ; and, in fine, the Talpa Europaa is 

 the only species which has been observed with sufficient 

 accuracy to admit of an exact detail of its characters. 



In the genus Sorex of Linnaeus and Gmelin, two species 

 are found, in which the fore-paws are conformed, or very 



