28 Bachmaii's Observations 



FAMILY. INSECTIVORA. 



Genus S galops. Cuv. Shrew-mole. 



Generic Charactei^s. Tecth^ from thirtysix to fortyfour. 

 Head long, terminated in an extended, cartilaginous, flexible, 

 pointed muzzle. Hands and arms broad, and armed with 

 strong nails, fitted to excavate the earth, resembling in their 

 general appearance those of the European mole, {Talpa). 

 Eyes, and ears concealed by the hair, and scarcely percepti- 

 ble. The hind feet are slender. Toes five on each foot, 

 furnished with small, hooked nails. 



1. ScALOPS AQUATicus. Liuu. Common Shrew-miole. 



Sorex aqudiicus ; Lin., System. JVat. I2i/t edition^ corrected^ Vol. I. 74. 

 Talpa fusca; Pennant, Brit. Zool. Quadrupeds. 314. 

 Scalops Canadensis ; D E sM . , Mam .115. 

 Scalope de Canada; Cuv., Re^ne. Anim. 134. 

 ShreiD-molt ; Godman, J^at. Hist. I. 84. pi. 5, f. 3. 

 Scalops Canadensis ; Harlan, Favna. 32, young. 

 Scalops Pennsylvanica ; ILvklak, ibid. 33, adult. 



Dental formula. Incisors |. False molars ^^. True mo- 

 lars f.=36. 



In the adult animal there are twenty teeth in the upper 

 jaw. The incisors are of a moderate size, rounded on their 

 front surface, and flattened posteriorly. Immediately behind 

 the incisors are found two minute teeth on each side, crowded 

 together. These are succeeded by four larger, false molars of 

 a cylindrical shape, and pointed. The fourth is the smallest. 

 The fifth is a little larger, and slightly lobed, and the sixth, 

 which is the largest, is more conspicuously lobed. Then 

 follow three true molars, each furnished witli three sharp tu- 

 bercles. 



In the lower jaw, which contains sixteen teeth, the two 

 posterior incisors are very small ; these are succeeded on each 

 side by another, much larger, pointed, and extending forwards. 

 The three false molars Avhich succeed these are pointed, 

 and the third and largest slightly lobed. The three true 

 molars are composed of two parallel prisms, terminated, each 

 by three points, and presenting one of their angles on the 



