78 HE VISION OF AMEBIC AX MOLES— TB UE. vol. xix. 



conformation of the skull and angle of the jaw, the form of premolar 

 and incisor teeth, and the development of the nasal appendages are 

 uniipie. Of American moles ^ciirotrichns is perhaps the nearest ally, 

 hut the gap hetwoen the two genera is considerable. In the form of the 

 ])remolars we are reminded of TaJpa^ hut there is no close resemblance 

 otherwise. 



In the modification of the fore limbs for fossorial purposes, Condy- 

 lura does not reach the degree of specialization found in SmJops and 

 Talpa. The humeri are relatively quite elongate, and the same is true 

 of the clavicles, while the manu))rium of the sternum is only moder- 

 ately long. We owe the name Condylura to the faulty figure of the 

 animal given by De La Faille, in wliich the tail is represented as con- 

 stricted at intervals, the whole resembling a string of beads. Front 

 this Illiger was led to include in his diagnosis the expression "cauda 

 mediocris nodosa,'' and to bestow an inappropriate name. 



CONDYLURA CRISTATA (Linnaeus). 

 STAR-NOSED MOLE. 



So7-ejc crinlatus, LiNN.EUS, Syst. Nat., lOtli cd.. 1758, p. 53. 



Talj>a longicaiidata, Erxleben, Rog. Auim., 1777, p. 118. — Shaw, Gen. Zool. I, 



1800, p. 52.3. 

 Talpa canadena\8, I>e la Faillk, Naturgesch. des Minilw., 1778, p. 3, t. 1 (fido 



Fischer). 

 TaJpa crixtata, Kerh, Animal Kingdom, 1792, p. 201. 

 Talpa radiuta, Shaw, Gen. Zool., Mamm., 1, 1800, p. 523. 

 Sorex radiafiis, Shaw, Gen. Zool., Mamui , I, 1800, p. 531. 

 Scalops cristatits, Fischer, Zoognosia, III, 1814, p. 156. 

 Condylura criiilata, Desmarest, .Journ. de Phys., LXXXIX, 1819, p. 230; Mam- 



malogie, I, 1820, p. 157. 

 Condylura longicatidata, Desmarest, Mammalogie, I, 1820, p. 158. 

 Condylura macroura, Harlax, Fauna Americana, 1825, p. 36. 

 Bhhiaster macrourus, Wagxer, SuppL Scbreber, Siingeth., II, 1841, ji. 115. 

 Condylura prasinata, Harris, Boston Jour. Philos. and the Arts, II, 1825. ]>. 582. 

 Bhinasier cristatus, Wagler, Nat. Syst. Amphib., 1830, p. 14. 

 Bhinasicr longicaudatus, Wagxer, Suppl. Schreber Siingeth., II, 1841, j). 116. 

 Astromydi-8 cristatus, Blyth, Catal. Mamm. Asiat. Soc. Mus., 1863, p. 87. (Not 



seen.) ' 



Size moderate. Nasal cutaneous processes well develoi)ed, I'li in 

 number, of which 18 are marginal and the remaining 2 pairs inserted 

 on the nasal disk. Feet scaly. Fore feet fossorial, one-half as long 

 as broad (including the claws). Eye comparatively large. Tail about 

 three-fourths the length of the head and body, scaly, with scattered 

 hairs: in winter, greatly enlarged, but with a constricted base. 



Color above, dusky brown; below paler and grayer. Feet dusky. 

 Tail indistinctly bicolored. A narrow ring of white at the wrist. 



Average dimensions (0 fresh specimens, males and efmales, from 

 Locust Grove, Kew York). — Total length, 202 mm. 



'What is Talpasorex (Condylura) fissipesf iu Miuding's Geog. Vertheilung der 

 Siiugetb., 1829, p. 64? 



