5§4 



INSECTIVORES 



XXII. i- 



found throughout the world. The incisors are specialized as pincers. 

 Sorex (Fig. 361) is a very ancient genus, found from the Miocene 

 onwards with little change. Moles (Talpa) (Fig. 362) are related to 

 shrews and are found throughout the Holarctic region. They are highly 

 specialized for burrowing, with rudimentary eyes (sometimes covered 



f*r- 



Fig. 360. Erinaceus, hedgehog. 

 (From photographs.) 



Fig. 361. Sorex, common shrew. 

 (From photographs.) 



Fig. 363. Tupaia, tree shrew. 

 (From photographs.) 



Fig. 362. Talpa, common mole. 



Fig. 364, Macroscelides, elephant 

 shrew. (From a photograph.) 



with opaque skin) and no external ears, smooth fur, fused cervical 

 vertebrae, massive pectoral girdle, including a procoracoid, and broad 

 digging claws on the hands. They feed mainly on earthworms. 

 Myogale, the desman, of south Europe is an aquatic mole, with webbed 

 feet. 



Apart from these familiar forms the Insectivora includes the interest- 

 ing oriental tree shrews {Tupaia) (Fig. 363) and African jumping 

 shrews or elephant shrews {Macroscelides) (Fig. 364), sometimes placed 

 together in a separate suborder ('Menotyphla'). This group can be 

 traced back to the Oligocene and more primitive precursors {*Leptic- 

 toidea) of the Cretaceous, where *ZalambdaIestes is found in the same 

 deposits as *Deltatheridium. The Menotyphla are interesting in that 

 they show in several ways indications of primate organization. The 

 brain is larger than in the insectivores that we have already considered 



