89 



t Skull with the posterior ridges obsolete ; foramen magnum oblong, and inclined far 

 forwards below ; with no distinct post-glenoid process ; with the tympanic element 

 forming a bnlla ; intraorbital canal an extensile transverse aperture, arched over 

 by a very narrow, osseous bar; zygomatic arch a slender rod; lower jaw with the 

 ascending rami erect, and without cavities at the bottoms of the coronoid processes, 

 molar teeth with the postero-iuterual ledge obsolete or wanting. Cervical vertebrae 

 with no hypapophyses ; dorsal and lumbar with no hyperapophyses. Sternum with 

 manubrium broad and keeled. Anterior members developed more than the poste- 

 rior; with carpus more or less enlarged, and at least with an os intermedium. 

 Scapula long and narrow TALPlDiE. 



Tt Skull with the posterior ridges well developed ; the foramen magnum sub-circu- 

 lar, and inclined little forwards below ; with a well developed post-glenoid process ; 

 with the tympanic element ainnlar, not forming a bulla ; infraorbital canal a rather 

 long sub cylindrical tunnel, covered by a very broad, osseous wall; zygomatic arch 

 not developed. Lower jaw with the ascending rami deilected outwards, and each 

 with a cavity at the bottom of the coronoid process. Molar teeth with a postero- 

 internal ledge armed with a cusp at its antero-intemal angle. Vertebrae charac- 

 teristic ; cervical with well developed hypapophyses; dorsal and lumbar with dis- 

 tinct hyperapophyses. Sternum with the manubrium broad but ecarinate. Ante- 

 rior members more slender than the posterior ; with carpus normal, having no sickle- 

 shaped bone or os intermedium ; scapula short and broad. . . Sobicid^. 



FAMILY TALPIDiE. 



In addition to the dental and skeletal characters already given in the 

 Key to the Families of Insectivora the following external characters are 

 added : Body stout, thick, and clumsy, without visible neck ; limbs very 

 short ; the anterior much broader and larger than the posterior ; provided 

 with strong claws, adapted for digging. Scapula as long as the humerus 

 and radius together. Eyes small ; sometimes concealed by the integu- 

 ment. No external ears ; the meatus sometimes minute, and sometimes 

 of ordinary size. Nostrils at end of snout, lateral or superior. Tail 

 usually short ; sometimes as long as the body. Fur usually soft, com- 

 pact and velvety. 



A family of general distribution, except in tropical regions and in 

 South America. Each region has its characteristic genera. Talpa is 

 found in Europe and Asia ; Scalops, Scapanus, Condylura, and Urotrichus, 

 in America ; the last named genus occurs, also, in Japan, and is the only 

 insectiverous genus known to be common to both hemispheres. Talpa is 

 not found in America, although Scapanus breweri has been mistaken for 



Talpa europea. 



Genus Scalops Cuvier. 



Etymology : Skalops, mole, from Skallo, to dig. 

 Scalops, Cuv., "Legons d' Anat. Comp. i, 1800. 

 This genus, as characterized by Cuvier, included Moles, with the nose 



