Co7itributio7i to the Knoioledge of the Cape Golden Moles. 297 



3 or 4 functional teeth in the jaws. It might seem strange that the 

 animal could live in this condition, but even when the mole has its full 

 dentition it frequently swallows its worms quite unmasticated, and 

 it seems able to digest them in this condition. After living for some 

 little time in this practically toothless state a few teeth of the second 

 set come through the gum, but never the full set, and of course the 

 true molars are never replaced. It has been suggested to me by 

 Mr. Oldfield Thomas that the condition I have observed in the 

 Stellenbosch moles is pathological. Whether this be so or not I 

 cannot definitely say. What I have described, however, is what 

 appears always to occur at Stellenbosch. In C. trevelyani and 

 C. villosa I have seen true molars with a full second set of teeth, 

 and Thomas has described what he regards as the second set of 

 teeth in two forms. I admit I have not seen anything corresponding 

 to the peculiar toothless condition in the moles from Grahamstown 

 or Pondoland, but in a specimen from Somerset East the molars are 

 being shed, while the second set are apparently not long erupted. 

 Whether the condition be normal or pathological, it seems well 

 worth recording, 



At Port Elizabeth most of the specimens of C. hottentota resemble 

 the reddish specimens from Grahamstown. The back is light 

 reddish brown, with the abdomen very distinctly rufous. The 

 forehead is dark brown, and the cheeks have the white hairs so 

 numerous as to be occasionally nearly white. The following are 

 the measurements of two skulls : — 



Orbital Dental Molar Palatal 



Length. Breadth. Height. Eegion. Series. Series. Width. 



24-3 16 12-5 8-3 9-8 5-6 8 



27-2 16-3 12-8 8-3 10-5 5-7 8 



From a locality about 20 miles east of Port Elizabeth I have seen 

 a specimen which differs markedly in colour from the usual variety. 

 The back is very dark reddish brown, the sides much lighter, and 

 the chest light reddish yellow. The cheeks have no white hairs, but 

 are pale reddish, and the under fur of the whole of the frontal and 

 supranasal region is pale brownish red. The skull is damaged, but 

 the measurements, as far as can be determined, are as follows : 

 Length, (?) 27 ; breadth, 16*5 ; height, (?) ; orbital region, 8-3 ; dental 

 series, 10-8 ; molar series, 5*7 ; palatal width, 8. Though the dif- 

 ference in colour is so great between this and the other specimens, 

 it does not seem possible to regard this as in any way a distinct 

 variety. 



From Fort Beaufort I have examined two specimens, one of which 



20 



