MAMMALS 



257 



pentadactylous; canine teeth small; skull elongate; snout often pro- 

 longed to form a proboscis: about 9 families, 2 North American; 

 widely distributed, one of the largest species being the European 

 hedgehog. 



Key to the North American Families of Insectivora 



ai Fore feet very large and modified for digging; moles i. Talpidce. 



a-j Fore feet not so modified; shrews 2. SoricidcB. 



Family i. Talpidae. — Moles. Body stout and cylindrical, 

 covered by very soft fur; external ears absent; eyes very small 

 and concealed in the fur; fore feet enormously enlarged and held 

 vertically; neck not apparent; snout proboscis-like: about 20 species, 

 10 in the United States. Moles inhabit the 

 Palearctic and Nearctic regions, living in burrows 

 underground where they feed principally on earth- 

 worms and insect grubs. The nest is from 10 to 

 18 inches beneath the surface, and from it deep 

 tunnels radiate. A second series of tunnels is 

 made just beneath the surface, which appear as 

 the familiar surface ridges which often disfigure 

 lawns; they are made in search of food. A single 

 litter of about 4 young is born in the spring time. 



Key to the United States Genera of Talpidae 



ai In the eastern and central States, 

 bi Tail very short. 



Ci Tail slender and nearly naked; 



the common mole (Fig. 140) . . i. Scalopiis. 

 Ci Tail thick and very hairy (Fig. 



140) 2. Parascalops. 



b-: Tail long; snout with a star- 

 shaped disc 3. Condylura. 



a-j In the Pacific coast States. 



bi Large moles, over 150 mm. long. . .4. Scapanus. 

 bj Small moles, under 125 mm. long.. 5. Neiirotrichus. 



I. Scalopus Geoffroy. Adult dentition 3 /3, i /o, 3 /3, 3 1 2, ; youthful 

 dentition3/3, i/i, 3/3, 3/3; nostrils superior in position, being at theend 

 of the snout, which is obHquely truncated; digits webbed: 2 species. 



5. aqiialicus (L.). Common mole (Fig. 140; Fig. 141). Body dark 

 slate color, often tinged with brown; length 160 mm.; tail 27 mm.; 

 hind foot 20 mm.: eastern and central States from Massachusetts and 

 central Minnesota to Texas; westward to northeastern Colorado; 

 very common; of considerable importance as a fur-bearing animal. 



Fig. 140. — The tail of 

 (a) Scalopus aquaticus 

 and (b) P arascalo p s 

 bretveri. 



