ORDER CXRNASSIER. 197 



The Moles are animals eminently adapted for digging. 

 All their muscular force is situated in the levator muscles 

 of the head, which is to them a kind of lever, and, in their 

 hands, which act as spades. Placed upon a solid ground, 

 these animals move slowly ; but when they are permitted 

 to dig, they speedily disappear. 



The Moles are insectivorous ; but besides earth-worms, 

 and the larvae which they meet with in their subterraneous 

 passages, they also feed on the roots of certain plants, and 

 more especially on those of a tender kind. 



Hearing and touch are senses which they possess in a 

 state of high development, but the others are less perfect. 



"After the removal of the Chrysochlore, Scalope, and Con- 

 dylure, (if this last indeed be to be removed,) there will 

 remain but a single species in the genus Talpa, which will 

 be the Talpa Europaa, or our common European Mole. 

 For the substance of some curious observations, respecting 

 this animal, we are obliged to M. Sonnini. 



The Mole, properly so called, is one of the commonest 

 animals we possess, and one of the most hurtful in culti- 

 vated lands. It appears that this animal was not known 

 to the ancients, who have been very wrongfully accused of 

 having fallen into the gross error of supposing that the 

 Mole had no eyes. Aristotle, it is true, in two places of 

 his History of Animals, repeats this assertion. But the 

 researches of modern times have ascertained that this 

 illustrious naturalist was perfectly right in refusing the 

 organs of vision to the Mole of his native country, to the 

 ovaha% or aavaXaS, of Ancient Greece. There does, in fact, 

 exist, in this country, a little subterraneous animal totally 

 deprived of sight : Naturalists have become acquainted 

 with it, but comparatively, lately, and have designated it 

 under the appellation of the Rat-Mole. They have been 

 obliged to confess, after many ages of injustice towards the 

 ancients, that these last had truth altogether on their side, 



