472 ZOOLOGY 



very far north; is found again in Labrador, Newfoundland, and Canada; it 

 is most common, however, in the New England States, and even occasion- 

 ally in the hilly portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The CaroHna 

 grey squirrel, .S'. carolinensis {pi. 11^, fig. 14), is most abundant in Florida, 

 Georgia, and South Carolina; the other species live in different districts of 

 the country. The common squirrel of Europe (*S'. vulgaris) is fio-ured on 

 pi m, fig. 11. 



Among the fossil remains of Sciurid* hitherto discovered in 'the tertiary 

 deposits of Europe, species belonging to the genera Sciurus, Arctomys, and 

 Spermophilus, were recognised. They resembled very much the existing 

 species. 



Ordek 5. Insectivora. 



This is a small order, and composed also chiefly of small animals, the 

 largest having but tmce the bulk of the common rat. They all possess 

 molar teeth studded with conical points ; their principal food consists of 

 insects. They lead a nocturmil or subterranean life, and in cold climates 

 many of them pass the winter in a torpid state. Their feet are short and 

 their motion feeble ; in walking they all place the whole sole of the foot on 

 the gound. 



^Insectivora may be divided into three families: Talpidce, or moles; 

 Soricidce, or shrews ; and Erinaceidce, or hedgehogs. The latter has no 

 representatives in North America. 



Among the fossil remains of Insectivora hitherto known there is a frag- 

 ment of a lower jaw from the fresh water strata of Word well, England, 

 whose affinities with either one of the families constituting this order'' have 

 not yet been ascertained. The genus Spalacodon has been proposed for it. 



Fam. 1. Talpid^. The body, rather thick and plump, is covered with 

 hair throughout ; the limbs are short, the anterior ones terminating by a 

 rounded hand provided with five toes as well as the hind feet. The eyes 

 are so minute as to escape notice, whence the assertion that moles are blind. 

 The fact is that the eyes are in a yqyj rudimentary or undeveloped condi- 

 tion. The animals of this family are subterranean, and appear but very 

 seldom on the surface. 



The genus Chrysochlons (or golden mole) has, like the Mygale, two 

 mcisors above and four below. The molars are long, distinct, and almost 

 all shaped m triangular prisms. The snout is short, broad, and recurved. 

 There are only three nails to the fore feet; the external one, very large, 

 curved and pointed, serves as a powerful instrument for excavatino- and 

 piercing the earth. ° 



The genus Taljxi (mole proper) has very feeble jaws, the food consistino- 

 of worms and insects. There are six incisors above and eight belo^A^ 

 The canines have two roots, partaking of the nature of the false molar; 

 the false molars themselves are four in number above and three below, 

 backwards of which are three bristled or true molars. The common mole 

 67G 



