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GENUS .SCALOPS.— Cm-iER. 



DENTAL FOKMULA. 



Incisive -r ; Molar =—4 ; False-Molars =—5 



3=3 =36- 



Incisive 7- ; Molar ^—^ ; False-Molars -^—^ ■= 44 



Head, long, terminated by an extended, cartilaginous, flexible, and 

 pointed muzzle ; ej-es and ears, concealed by the hair, and very minute. 

 Hind-feet, short and slender, ^vith five toes and delicate hooked nails ; 

 fore-feet (or hands) broad ; claws, long and flat, fitted for excavating the 

 earth. 



The name Scalops is derived from the Greek mxXXa, (skallo,) and from 

 the Latin scalpo, I scrape. 



The various species included in this genus, which approaches very 

 closely to the genus Talpa, of Europe, (European mole,) are, we believe, 

 confined to North America. There are, so far as we have been informed, 

 only five species known at the present time. 



SCALOPS AQUATICUS.— Linn. 



Common American Shrew Mole. 



PLATE X. — Male and Female. Natural size. 



S. magnitudine Talpss Europese similis ; corpore cylindrato, laiiugine 

 sericea, argenteo-cinereo induto. 



CHAEACTERS. 



Size of the European mole, (Talpa;) hody, cylindrical; fur, velvety; 

 colour, silvery-gray ish-hrown. 



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