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QUADRUPEDS. 



Nature has so furnished the world with animals and vege- 

 tables that are suited to the constitutional materials of its form, 

 that no part of the exposed surface of the globe may remain 

 idle, if the very visible specimens and dictates of observation 

 and reflection were duly entertained, and the necessary and 

 very simple practices performed. 



The Mole. — The proper name of the mole is " Mould- 

 warp," meaning to cast up earth. It is the "Talpa" of 

 zoology, and belongs to the class Mammalia, order Scarco- 

 phaga or preying, and family Insectivora, or Insect-eaters ; of 

 which the characters are : the front teeth in the upper jaw are 

 six and unequal ; those in the lower jaw are eight ; the canine 

 teeth are one on each side, the upper ones being the largest; 

 and the grinders are seven in the upper jaw, and six in 

 the lower. The Talpa Europea," or the common mole, has 

 a short tail, and pentadactylous, or five-toed, feet. The body 

 is thick and cylindric ; the snout slender, but very strong and 

 tendinous ; the head not distinguished from the body by any 

 appearance of neck ; the legs so extremely short, as scarce to 

 project perceptibly from the body ; the fore feet situated ob- 

 liquely outwards, excessively strong and broad, and furnished 

 with very large and stout claws, so as to give the animal 

 the power of working under the surface with the utmost ease 

 and readiness ; the hind feet are small in proportion to the 

 fore feet, and are calculated for throwing back with ease the 

 mould from behind the creature, during its subterraneous pro- 

 gress ; the tail is short and small ; the skin is much thicker 

 and tougher in proportion than in other quadrupeds, and the 

 fur with which it is covered equally surpasses that of other 

 animals in fineness and softness. The muscular strength of 

 the mole is very great, and it is enabled to force itself into the 

 ground with an extraordinary degree of celerity. The gene- 

 ral length of the body is about six inches, exclusive of the tail, 

 which measures one inch. The sense of hearing is very acute 

 and delicate. The eyes are holes adapted merely for the pur- 

 pose of apprizing it of danger. The mole feeds chiefly on 

 worms and insects, and occasionally on the roots of vege- 

 tables ; but it is more carnivorous than frugivorous. In par- 



