. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. TSE GOLDEN MOLES. 365 and that of the lower smface yellowish ; and the coat consists of two kinds of haii-s, namely, an iiiner coat of very fine short silky hairs, through which longer hairs of a very peculiar structure project. Tnese long hairs are very thin at the bulb, and increase very gradually in thickness for about one-third of then- leugtli, when they suddenly contract a little, and then expand into a flat lance-shaped blade, which terminates in a very fine point. This coarser fur covers the whole body, the thick root of the tail,
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. TSE GOLDEN MOLES. 365 and that of the lower smface yellowish ; and the coat consists of two kinds of haii-s, namely, an iiiner coat of very fine short silky hairs, through which longer hairs of a very peculiar structure project. Tnese long hairs are very thin at the bulb, and increase very gradually in thickness for about one-third of then- leugtli, when they suddenly contract a little, and then expand into a flat lance-shaped blade, which terminates in a very fine point. This coarser fur covers the whole body, the thick root of the tail, and the upper part of the limbs; the rest of the tail, the under side of the muzzle, and the upper surface of the feet are clothed with short, close hairs. The ears are of moderate size, the eyes very small, and the toes on all the feet five in number, armed with small sharp claws, and without webs,. but the second and thii-d toes on the hind feet are united as far as the end of the first phalanx. The most remarkable peculiarity of the animal is its tail, which presents a most unusual develop- ment for an Insectivorous Mammal. Professor AUman says, " It is so thick at its base that the trjink seems uninterruptedly continued into it; but it soon becomes laterally compressed, and then grows gradually thinner and narrower towards the tip Its lower edge is rounded, and its upper is continued into a membranous crest about one-eighth of an inch in height, and clothed witK the same shoi-t, stifi", appressed hairs " as the rest of the tail. This gi-eat development of the tail might of itself convince us that this organ is of great service to its owner, and such, from the account of the habits of the animal given by its discoverer, is evidently the case. M. Du Chaillu says :—" This extraoi-dinary animal is found in tiie mountains of the interior, or in the hUly country explored by me north and south of the equator. It is found along the watei- coui-ses of limpid an
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