THE DESMANS 



337 



THE DESMANS 

 Genus Myogale 



The strange-looking desmans, of which there are two species, are aquatic 

 animals belonging to a section of the family characterized by the fore-limb not being 

 specially modified for the purpose of digging, and thus forming a connecting link 

 between the shrews and the moles. This absence of special modification is exhibited 

 by the bones of the skeleton of the fore-limb, in which the collar bone (clavicle), 

 and the arm bone (humerus) still retain a distinctly elongate form, while there is no 

 additional bone in the fore-foot. 



RUSSIAN DESMANS. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



The desmans are provided with the typical number of forty-four teeth, and are 

 further characterized by their completely webbed feet, their long trunk-like snout, 

 which projects far in advance of the upper lip, and the elongated and scaly tail. The 

 Russian desman (Myogale moschata) is considerably the larger of the 

 two, its total length being about sixteen inches, of which some six and 

 one-half are occupied by the tail. The fur is dense and thick, like that 

 of an otter, with the outer portion formed of long stiff hairs, and the under coat soft 

 and woolly. Above, it is of a full reddish brown, and beneath of an ashy gray, with 

 a silvery lustre when viewed in certain lights. The first incisor tooth in each jaw 

 is very large and powerful, the upper one being somewhat chisel 

 shaped. The tail is laterally flattened. This species inhabits the 

 banks of streams and lakes over a large portion of Southeastern Russia, dwelling in 



Russian 



Desman 



Habits 



