TALPIDAE. 79 
own paper on the subject was not read before the Linnean Society until 
the 5th of December of that year, nor published till 1821 ; therefore 
to the others belongs the credit of first bringing this curious group to 
notice. 
They regarded it in the light ofa true Shrew, disguised in the form and 
habits of a squirrel, and they proposed for it the name Sorex-Glis, i.e. 
Shrew-squirrel (G/s properly means a dormouse, but Linnzus used it 
for his rodential group which he termed Géres) ; this was afterwards 
changed by Desmarest and Giebel to GZ Sorex and Glisosorex, which 
latter stands for one of the generic terms applied to the group. 
F. Cuvier, objecting to Zupaia, proposed Cladobates (signifying branch 
walkers), and Temminck, also objecting to Zufaia, suggested Hylogale 
(from Gr. Aya, forest, and gale, a weasel), so now we have four generic 
names for this one small group. English naturalists have however 
accepted Zupaia ; and, as Dr. Anderson fairly remarks, though it is a 
‘pity that some definite rules are not laid down for the guidance of 
naturalists for the acceptance or rejection of terms, still those who reject 
Tupaia on the ground of its being taken from a savage tongue should 
be consistent, and refuse all others of similar origin. He is quite right ; 
_ but how many we should have to reject if we did so—Stamanga in 
Quadrumana, Kerivoula in Cheiroptera, Zupaia in Insectivora, Golunda 
in Rodentia, Rvsa in Ruminantia, and others! At the same time these 
names are wrong ; they convey no meaning; and had they a meaning 
(which only Kerzvoula or Kelivoulha, i.e. plantain-bat, has) it is not 
expressed in languages common to all western nations, such as the 
Latin and Greek. Zzfaia is an unfortunate selection, inasmuch as it 
does not apply to one type of animal, but reminds me somewhat of the 
Madras fwchi, which refers, in a general way, to most creeping insects, 
known or unknown. 
FAMILY TALPIDA —THE MOLES. 
These animals have a small cylindrical body, very short arm attached 
to a large shoulder-blade, supported by a stout clavicle or collar-bone, 
The fore-feet are of great breadth, suppported by the powerful muscles 
of the arm ; the palm of the foot or hand is directed outwards or back- 
wards, the lower edge being trenchant, with scarcely perceptible fingers 
armed with long, flat nails, strong and sharp, with which to tear up the 
ground and shovel the earth aside. The hind feet are small and weak 
in comparison, with slender claws. ‘The head tapers to a point, the 
long snout being provided with a little bone which assists it in rooting, 
and the cervical muscles are very strong. ‘The eyes are microscopical. 
