Characters. — Teeth in front of molars sharply differentiated 

 by form into incisors, canines, and premolars, the incisors, both 

 above and below, small, sub-equal, chisel-shaped, the upper 

 canine large, strongly trenchant ; external form highly modified 

 for subterranean life, the greatly enlarged orbicular front feet 

 with palms permanently turned outward, the hind feet much 

 smaller, not peculiar in form ; tail short ; muzzle terete. 



Remarks. — This group, composed of the true moles of the 

 Old World, and specially characterized by the relatively primi- 

 tive condition of the anterior teeth, is represented by four or five 

 genera, one of which occurs in Europe. 



Genus TALPA Linnaeus. 



1758. Tal2)a Linnseus, Syst, Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 52. 



Type species. — Talpa europsea Linna3us. 



Geographical distribution. — Europe and western and central 

 Asia. Eastern limits of range not known. 



Characters. — Dental formula : i j^i,, c jEi, pw iir„ m ^^ — 44. 

 Upper premolars small, distinctly spaced, showing no tendency 

 to become imbricated. Lower canine slightly but evidently 

 difierentiated from incisors in size and form ; auditor}^ bulla very 

 slightly inflated, its outlines usually indistinct, the meatus small, 

 sub-circular ; external form strictly talpine ; ear-conch absent ; 

 eye minute, often covered by the skin. 



RemarJcs. — The genus Talpa contains half a dozen or more 

 species. Four of these occur in Europe, one of them generally 

 distributed, the three others confined to the Mediterranean 

 region. 



KEY TO THE EUROPEAN SPECIES OF TALPA. 



Greatest diameter of m^ about 4 mm. ; three lower 

 molars together about 8 mm. (vicinity of 



Rome) T. romana, p. 18. 



Greatest diameter of in^ about 3 mm. ; three lower 

 molars together about 7 mm. or less. 

 Condylobasal length of skull 33 to 37 mm. (dis- 

 tribution general) T. ciircpxa, p. 3. 



Condylobasal length of skull 29 to 32 mm. 

 (southern). 

 Posterior border of anteorbital foramen over 



front of last molar (Italian) T. cxca, p. 15. 



Posterior border of anteorbital foramen over 



middle of second molar (Iberian) T. occiclentalis,'Q. 15. 



TALPA EUROPiEA Linnseus. 



1758. [Talpa7\ europsea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 52 (Sweden). 

 1766. Talpa frisius P. L. S. Miiller, Natursyst. Suppl. u. Regist.-Band, 



p. 36 (Ostfriesland). 

 1772. [Talpta] caudata Boddaert, Kortbegrip van het zamenstel der Natuur, 



I, p. 50 (Renaming of europsea). 



li 2 



