434 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. XI. 



they fore-know their owne perdition) they flie to the superficies and 

 very toppe of the earth, the silly beast knowing that the Molde their 

 adversary, dare not follow them into the light, so that their wit in 

 flying their enemy is greater, than in turning againe when they are 

 troade upon" (/. c, p. 500). 



There was a curious ancient superstition in England concerning 

 these animals to the effect that "if you whet a mowing syth in a fielde 

 or meddow upon the feast day of Christs nativity, (commonly called 

 Christmas day) all the Molles that are within the hearing thereof, 

 will certainly for ever forsake that field, meadow or Garden." 



Subfamily TALPINiE. 

 KEY TO OUR GENERA. 



End of muzzle with fringe of fleshy projections; tail more than 2 inches long; 



number of teeth 44. Genus CONDYLURA, p. 440. 



End of muzzle without fringe of fleshy projections; tail about i inch long and 



nearly naked; fore feet very large; number of teeth 36. 



Genus SCALOPUS, p. 434. 



Genus SCALOPUS Geoffroy. 



Scalopus Geofifroy, Cat. Mamm. Mus. d'Hist. Nat., 1803, p. 77. 



Palmer, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 23, 1904, p. 620. Type Scalopus 



virginianus Geoffroy = Sorex aquaticus Linn. 



Palate long; audital bullge present; infraorbital foramen opening 

 into a large, nearly horizontal aperture extending from above anterior 

 end of zygoma; first upper incisor large, 2d and 3d very small; no 

 functional lower canine ; lower incisors 2 ; end of muzzle without fringe 

 of fleshy projections; tail short and nearly naked; fore feet very large; 



hind feet webbed. The milk dentition is I. ^— ^, C. ^ — \ Pm. ^-^> 



M.^^-^ = 40. 



Dental formula {adult): I. ^^» C.^^» Pm. ^^, M. ^^ = 36. 



2-2 0-0 T^-T, 2,-^ 



