40 BULLETIN NO. VII. 



upon the larger continents the differentiation has been less one- 

 sided. Paleontology also shows that the various families of 

 Insectivora early became distinct. 



The families are at present, therefore, remarkably compact 

 and sharply defined. Some of the largest species are found in 

 the Indian family Tupaiidce. These animals resemble squirrels 

 in outward form and size and climb well, searching for insects 

 in their leafy retreats. The snout is long and shrew like, but 

 the eyes are more highly developed than in most Insectivora. 



The Macroscelidce (see fig. 2) are deceptively like the kanga- 

 roo mice. These jumping shrews inhabit sandy and rocky 

 wastes of Africa, and not only root among the rocks for larvae 

 but even spring after flying sorts with great accuracy. 



The Myogalidce are aquatic Insectivora. The various species 

 live in the rivers of eastern Europe, of Asia and parts of 

 Africa. Leeches, fresh water mollusks, and larvae as well as 

 possibly the fry of fishes, serve Myogale for food. Anal 

 glands give to these animals a most offensive odor. 



The Soricidce (shrews) include mouse-like species which may 

 be considered as the type of the Insectivora. Their geographi- 

 cal distribution is most extensive among the families of this 

 group and together with the moles (Talpidce) form the only 

 families found in North America. 



Madagascar furnishes a family of Insectivora somewhat like 

 the hedge-hogs but uniting with this habitus characters of the 

 shrews and jumping shrews. Centetidce, as the family is called, 

 contains two genera of similar character. The true hedge- 

 hogs (Erinaceidce) occupy parts of the old world. It is very 

 common to hear our rodent porcupines called hedge-hogs. 

 The two animals have nothing in common but the spiny 

 armature. The hedge-hog is very useful to the European 

 farmer on account of the constant war he wages with rats and 

 mice, which, in spite of seeming awkwardness he skillfully 

 captures. Birds' nests and fruit trees form a secondary re- 

 course. They may be easily domesticated to a certain extent 

 and yet could hardly be considered desirable pets. 



The subterranean Insectivora fall into two related families, 

 the one represented by the blind mole (Chrysochloris) of South 

 Africa, the other by our familiar moles. The Talpidce of Am- 

 erica belong to different genera from the European but are 

 nevertheless very familiar. 



The present state of our knowledge of the Insectivora is 

 very low, for the attempts to distinguish species upon variable 



