COMMON MOLE. 
m 
quadruped whatever. It is bigger than a mouse, 
with a coat of fine, short, glossy, black hair. 
Its noge is long and pointed, resembling that of a 
hog, but much longer. Its eyes are so small, that 
it is scarce possible to discern them. Instead of 
ears, it has only holes in the place. Its neck is so 
short, that the head seems stuck upon the shoul- 
ders. The body is thick and round, terminating 
by a very small short tail, and its legs also are so 
very short, that the animal seems to lie flat on its 
belly. From under its belly, as it rests in this po- 
sition, the four feet appear just as if they immedi- 
ately grew out of the body.. Thus the animal ap- 
pears to us at first view as a mass of flesh covered 
with a fine, shining, black skin, with a little head, 
and scarce any legs, eyes, or tail. On a close in- 
spection, however, two little black points may be 
discerned, that are its eyes. The ancients, and 
some of the moderns, were of opinion that the 
animal was utterly blind ; but Derham, by the 
help of a microscope, plainly discovered all the 
parts of the eye that are known in other animals, 
such as the pupil, the vitreous and crystaline hu- 
mours. The fore legs appear very short and 
strong, and furnished with five claws to each* 
These are turned outwards and backwards, as 
the hands of a man when swimming. The hind 
legs are longer and weaker than the fore, being 
only used to assist* its motions ; whereas the others 
are continually employed in digging. The teeth 
are like those of the shrew mouse, and there are five 
on both of the upper jaw, which stand out ; 
but those behind are divided into points. The 
tongue is as large as the mouth will hold. 
Such is the extraordinary figure and formation 
of this animal ; w hich, if we compare wills its 
manner of living*,, we shall find a manifest atten^ 
vo&. i. 3 m 
