62 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



grasses, and occasionally moss ; the same or a similar nest 

 being used for the winter-slumber 



In conclusion, it may be mentioned that, in spite of its 

 spiny armour, the Hedge-hog has two deadly enemies in the 

 persons of the Fox and the Badger ; and where those two 

 animals abound, the number of Hedge-hogs, as Mr. Harting 

 observes, will be small. 



THE MOLES AND DESMANS. FAMH.Y TALPID/E. 



Since the sole British representative of this Family is the 

 Common Mole, we shall not spend much time in pointing out 

 the distinctive Family characters, merely stating that all the 

 Talpidce may be distinguished from the ErinaceidcE by the 

 absence of the central fifth cusp found on the two anterior 

 molars of the latter; while from the SoricidcB they differ in 

 that the first pair of lower incisor teeth are not hook-like and 

 directed forwards ; and likewise by the presence of zygomatic 

 arches, or cheek-bones, to the skull. 



Although the Desmans, which formerly inhabited England, 

 but are now confined to the Continent, are aquatic in their 

 habits, the great majority of the members of the Family have 

 their fore-limbs more or less specially modified for digging in 

 the ground. This modification shows itself especially in the 

 very forward position of the fore-limbs, which in the most 

 specialised types are extremely short, and furnished with very 

 wide and powerful feet. Their forward position is brought 

 about by the shortness of the collar-bones and the anterior 

 extension of the breast-bone; while the shortness of the 

 limbs is due to the extraordinary form of the arm-bone, or 

 humerus, which, in place of being long and slender, in the 

 True Moles is almost square, and about as unlike its represen- 

 tative in ordinary Mammals as can well be conceived. The 



