MAMMALS 



201 



powder, or long cusps for tearing them to pieces. The 

 teeth of insect eaters, even the molars (Fig. 368), have 

 many sharp tubercles, or points, for holding insects and 

 piercing the crusty outer skeleton and reducing it to bits. 

 As most insects dig in the ground or fly in the air, we 

 are not surprised to learn that some insect-eating mam- 



FIG. 367. THE MOLE. 



mals (the bats) fly and others (the moles) burrow. Are 

 the members of this order friends or competitors of man ? 



FIG. 368. SKELETON OF MOLE. (Shoulder blade is turned upward.) 



Why does the mole have very small eyes ? Small ears ? 

 Compare the shape of the body of a mole and a rat. 

 What difference ? Why ? Compare the front and the hind 

 legs of a mole. Why are the hind legs so small and 

 weak ? Bearing in mind that the body must be arranged 

 for digging and using narrow tunnels, study the skeleton 



