140 
STAR-NOSED MOLE. 
DESCRIPTION. 
In the upper jaw there are two large incisive teeth hollowed in front in 
the shape of a spoon. The next tooth on each side is long, pointed, coni- 
cal, with two tubercles, one before and the other behind at the base, re- 
sembling in all its characters a canine tooth : these are succeeded by five 
small molars on each side, the posterior one being the largest. There are 
three true molars on each side, with two acute tubercles on the inner side 
— the first or anterior of these molars is the largest, the second a little 
smaller, and the third or posterior one the smallest. In the lower jaw 
there are four large incisors, spoon shaped, and bearing a strong resem- 
blance to those in the upper jaw. The next on each side are tolerably long 
sharp, conical teeth, corresponding with those above which we have set 
down as canine. The four succeeding teeth on each side, which may be 
regarded as false molars, are lobed and increase in size as they approach 
the true molars ; the three molars on each side resemble those above, hav- 
ing two folds of enamel forming a point. 
In the shape of its body this species bears a considerable resemblance 
to the Common Mole of Europe {Talpa Europea) and to Brewer’s Shrew 
Mole {Scalops Brewerii); in the indications on the nose, however, it differs 
widely from both. The body is cylindrical, about as stout as that of our 
Common Shrew Mole, and has the appearance of being attached to the 
head without any distinct neck. Muzzle, slender and elongated, termi 
nated with a cartilaginous fringe which originated its English name — the 
Star-nosed Mole. This circular disk is composed of twenty cartilaginous 
fibres, two of which situated beneath the nostrils are shortest. The eyes 
are vei’y small. Moustaches, few and short. There is an orifice in place 
of an external ear, which does not project beyond the skin. Fore feet, 
longer and narrower than those of the Common Shrew, feet longer and 
narrower than those of the Common Mole ; palms, naked, covered with 
scales ; claws, flattened, acute, channelled beneath ; hind extremities lon- 
ger than the fore ones, placed far back ; feet nearly nalced, scaly ; tail, sub- 
cylindrical, sparingly covered with coarser hair. It is clothed with dense 
soft fur. 
COLOUR. 
Eyes, black ; nose and feet, flesh colour ; point of nails and end of car- 
tilaginous fringe, roseate. The fur on the whole body, dark plumbeous at 
the roots, and without any annulations, deepening towards the apex into a 
brownish black. In some shades of light the Star Nose appears perfectly 
black throughout. On the under surface it is a shade lighter. In the 
