THE BLESMOL, MOLE RAT AND SAND 

 MOLE 



{Georychus and Bathyergus) 



The creature which has brought down persecution 

 sharp and fierce upon the innocent Golden Mole is 

 a rodent or gnawing animal known as the Blesmol. 

 The word Blesmol means a " Mole with a white 

 forehead." There are several species. The com- 

 mon kinds are the Cape Blesmol {Georychus capensis), 

 the Mole Rat {Georychus hottentotus) and the Sand 

 Mole {Bathyergus suillus). These burrowing rodents 

 can easily be distinguished from the Golden Moles. 

 Their front or incisor teeth, of which there are two 

 in each jaw, are large, curved and prominent ; the 

 eyes are small but visible. Although a burrowing 

 animal, the front claws are not large, as is the case 

 with the Golden Mole, which has the third toe on 

 each of the front feet considerably developed. The 

 Golden Mole is tailless, whereas the Blesmol, 

 Mole Rat and Sand Mole have short tails. In the 

 Golden Mole the fur is close — ^it has a metallic sheen 

 — and is either coppery-red or blacHsh in colour. On 

 the contrary, the fur of the Blesmols, Mole Rats and 

 Sand Moles is usually grey above and whitish below, 

 without any sheen on the fur. 



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