ORDER CARNASSIER. 199 



gan of vision is of no use, and that of smell alone can 

 direct the animal in its darkened paths. If a living Mole 

 be plunged into the water, the teguments which cover the 

 globe of the eye, immediately dilate, and leave the organ 

 perfectly uncovered; because, under those circumstances, 

 the animal has occasion for the use of all its faculties to 

 extricate itself from impending danger. In other respects, 

 the eyes of the Mole, which are not imbedded in their or- 

 bits, like those of the majority of quadrupeds, are some- 

 what of the shape and bigness of a grain of mustard-seed, 

 and appear like two black and glittering points. 



The muzzle is elongated, mobile, and pointed very nearly 

 like that of a swine. It is an instrument extremely well 

 adapted to facilitate the labours of the Mole ; for while 

 the animal, with its fore-paws, removes the soil, the snout, 

 furnished with powerful muscles, and a small bone, raises 

 the earth, and prepares the passage, through which the 

 body is to go. The muzzle is terminated by two large 

 nostrils, which advance a little beyond the opening of the 

 mouth. There are twenty-two teeth, of which we have 

 already given the detail, in each jaw. The tongue is long, 

 and not very unlike that of the Carp. The mouth, being 

 opened by the motion of the snout, a small membrane, 

 placed below the upper lip, and which descends over the 

 lower, hinders the earth from entering. Relatively to the 

 magnitude of the Mole, and its mode of life, the organ of 

 hearing is perfect, though less so than that of smell, 

 which is extremely delicate. There is no external conch to 

 the ears ; the meatus auditorius is concealed by the hairs 

 which surround it. It is cartilaginous, and descends ob- 

 liquely, as far as the cavity of the os petrosum, to which 

 it adheres, by many small membraneous fibres. The orifice 

 does not exceed, in diameter, the quill of the feather of a 

 pigeon's wing ; and a small membranous valve, which is 

 raised and lowered like the eye-lid, and the mechanism of 



