COMMON AMERICAN SHREW MOLE 91 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The Shrew Mole is found inhabiting various parts of the country from 

 Canada to Kentucky, in considerable numbers, and is abundant in Caro- 

 lina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida. It is, according to Richardson, un- 

 known in Labrador, the Hudson's Bay Territories, and probably North of 

 Latitude 50°. We did not see any of them in our trip up the Missouri 

 river, and there are none to be found on the dry prairies of the regions 

 immediately east of the great Rocky Mountain chain. The figures in our 

 plate were drawn from specimens procured near the City of New York. 

 We mention this locality, because the colours differ a little from others 

 that we have seen, and that have been described. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



In restoring to this species the specific name of its first describer we 

 have adhered to a rule, from which, to prevent the repetition of synonymes, 

 we should never depart, unless under very peculiar circumstances. The 

 name " Aquaticus, " certainly does not apply to the habits of this animal, 

 as, although it is fond of the vicinity of moist ground, where the earth- 

 worm is most abundant, yet it is nowise aquatic. The name of Desmarest, 

 however, viz., " Canadensis," is equally objectionable, as it is far more 

 common in the Southern portion of the United States than in Canada. 



Some differences of opinion are observable in the works of authors in 

 regard to the number of teeth which characterize this species. 



Although the genus was, until recently, composed of but a single ac- 

 knowledged species, {Scalops Canadensis of Desm.,) its systematic arrange- 

 ment has caused great perplexity among Naturalists. Linn^us placed it 

 among the Shrews, (Sorex,) and Pennant among the Moles, (Talpa,) Baron 

 CuviEE finally established for it a new genus, (Scalops,) in which it now 

 remains. The specimen, however, which he made the type of the genus, 

 contained but thirty teeth. The upper jaw^ had but three lateral incisors, 

 or false-molars, on each side ; leaving considerable intermediate spaces be- 

 tween the incisors and true molars. In this dental arrangement he was 

 followed by Desmarest, Dr. Harlan, Griffith, and nearly all the Natural- 

 ists of that period. Subsequently, however, Frederick Cuvier gave a 

 correct description of the teeth, which he found amounted to thirty-six. 

 Dr. Harlan finding a skeleton from the vicinity of Philadelphia, which in 

 its dental arrangement corresponded generally with the characters given 

 by Fred. Cuvier, considered it a new species, and described it under the 

 name of Sc. Pennsylvanica, (see Fauna Americana, p. 33.) 



