INSECTIVORA. 



627 



South America and Australia, where their place is filled b) 

 Marsupials. 



The three leading families of the 

 Insectivora are the Talpida or Moles, 

 the Soritidcz or Shrew-mice, and the 

 Erinaceidce. or Hedgehogs. 



Fam. i. Talpidcz. The body in 

 this family is covered with hair ; the 

 feet are formed for digging and bur- 

 rowing, and the toes are furnished Fig. 2 68. 

 with strong curved claws. There 

 are no external ears ; and the eyes 

 in the adult are rudimentary, and more or less completely 

 useless as organs of vision. There is a peculiar bone for the 

 support of the muzzle. The clavicles are strong, the arm very 

 short, the hand wide, and the palm always turned outwards 

 and backwards. The fur is short and velvety, and the tail 

 very short or wanting, in most cases. 



The common Mole (Talpa Europcea, fig. 269) is the only 

 British species of the family, and a representative form (Con- 

 dylurd] occurs in North America. One of the most remarkable 



vora. Skull of 

 the common Hedgehog (Erina- 

 ceus Europceus). 



Fig. 269. European Mole (Talpa Europ&a}. 



of the Talpidcz is the Golden Mole (Chrysochloris aureus] of 

 Africa. In form and habits this species resembles the com- 

 mon Mole, but the hairs of the fur have the property of dis- 

 persing the rays of light, and thus of giving rise to beautiful 

 metallic colours, such as are produced by the " setag " of the 

 Sea-mice (Aphrodite] amongst the Annelides. The star-nosed 

 Moles (Condylura) are North American, and are distinguished 

 by a fringe of elongated membranous caruncles surrounding 

 the nostrils. The tail is moderately long. 



Fam. 2. Soricidce. The Soricidcc. or Shrew-mice are distin- 



