630 INSECTIVORA 



Subfamily Talpinse. — Clavicle and humerus very short and 

 broad ; manus with a large falciform bone. 



A. First upper incisor much larger than the second (New 

 World Moles). 



Scalops. 1 — Dentition : i -§-, c %, p §, m % ; total 36. Extremity 

 of muzzle simple ; hind feet webbed ; tail short and nearly naked. 

 Represented by three species in the United States. 



ScajMnas. 2 — Dentition : i -§, c -^, p %, m ■§ ; total 44. Extremity 

 of muzzle simple. The two North American species of this genus 

 resemble Scalops in general chai'acters, but have a dentition like 

 Condylura. The habits are like those of the latter, and the right 

 to generic distinction is doubtful. 



Condylura. 3 — Dentition : i %, c \, p f , m f ; total 44. Ex- 

 tremity of muzzle surrounded by filiform appendages. The Star- 

 nosed Mole (C. cristata) derives its name from the star-like ring of 

 appendages at the extremity of the muzzle, with the nostrils in the 

 centre. The general contour is Mole-like, but the tail is nearly as 

 long as the body, and the manus is somewhat less powerful, with 

 its terminal phalanges not cleft. The length of the head and body 

 is about 5 inches. This species is common in parts of North 

 America, and forms tunnels in the ground like the Common Mole. 



B. First upper incisor scarcely larger than the second (Old 

 World Moles). 



Scaptonyx. 4 — Dentition : if, c \, p £, m § ; total 42. Manus 

 moderately broad, as in Urotrichus. Represented only by S.fvsi- 

 caudatus of Eastern Tibet, which may be regarded as connecting 

 Talpa with Urotrichus, having the head of the former and the limbs 

 of the latter. 



Talpa? — Dentition (usually) : i |-, c 1, p -f-, m § ; total 44. 

 Manus extremely broad. 



This genus includes the true Moles, of which the common 

 English Mole 6 (T. europcra) is the type. This animal is about 6 

 inches in total length, of which rather more than one inch is occu- 

 pied by the tail. The body is elongated and cylindrical, and, owing 

 to the very anterior position of the fore limbs, the head appears to 

 rest between the shoulders ; the muzzle is long and obtusely 

 pointed, terminated by the nostrils, which are close together ; the 

 minute eye is almost hidden by the fur; the ear is without a conch, 

 and opens on a level with the surrounding integument. The fore 

 limbs are rather short and very muscular, terminating in broad, 

 naked, shovel-shaped feet, with the palms normally directed out- 



1 Cuvier, "Tabl. de Classif." in Lcrond'Anat. Comp. vol. i. (1800). - Pomel, 

 Arch. Set. PJiys. Nat. vol. ix. p. '2A7 (1848). y Illiger, Prodromus Syst. Ma mm. 

 et Avium, p. 125 (1811). 4 Milne-Edwards, iV. Arch, da Museum, vol. vii. 



Bull. .p. 92 (1872). 5 Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. p. 73 (1766). 6 The following 

 account is taken almost entirely from Dr. Dobson. 





