TALPIDE 633 
ance of which is evident. Posteriorly, the hind limbs are similarly 
removed out of the way by approximation of the hip-joints to the 
centre line of the body. This is effected by inward curvature of 
the innominate bones at the acetabula to such an extent that they 
almost meet in the centre, while the pubic bones are widely separated 
behind. The shortness of the fore limb is caused by the great 
reduction in the length of the humerus, which has lost all resemblance 
to its normal shape. In addition to the usual articulation with the 
glenoid cavity of the scapula, the humerus also has a separate 
articulation with the extremity of the clavicle. The bones of the 
manus are enormously expanded laterally; this expansion being 
increased by the large sickle-like bone on the radial side of the 
carpus, which is considered by some anatomists to represent the 
prepollex. The skull is long and tapering, with very slender 
zygomatic arches and elongated nasals, which are ankylosed 
together, and in advance of which the mesethmoid is more or 
less ossified. The vertebre are usually C 7, D 13, L 6, 8S 6, 
C 10-12; all having very strong surfaces for mutual articulation. 
The upper incisors are chisel-like, and the canine has two roots ; 
the first three upper premolars are simple and conical, but the 
fourth is much larger, and canine-like. In the mandible the 
incisors are small and somewhat proclivous, while the canine can 
only be distinguished from them by its position; the first lower 
premolar is larger than the others. 
The Common Mole has an exceedingly wide distribution, 
ranging over the greater part of the Palearctic region, where it is 
met with in places so widely sundered as England and Japan. It 
occurs in both the Himalaya and Altai mountains. In Ireland it 
is unknown, and in Scotland it extends as far north as Caithness. 
Eight species of the genus are recognised, which may be grouped, 
from the characters of their dentition, as follows, viz.: 7 3, ¢ 4, p 4, 
m 3, T. wogura; 1 3, ¢ 4, p 4, m 4, T. ewropea, ceca, longirostris, 
mierura ; 13,64, p 3, m2, T. leucura, leptura ; i 3, ¢ 4, p 3, m 3, 
7. moschata. 
Except in I. europea, the eyes are covered by a membrane. In 
T. micrura the short tail is concealed by the fur. 7. ceca is found 
south of the Alps; the remaining species are Asiatic, and two only 
—T. micrura and T. leucura—occur south of the Himalaya. 7. 
moschata, of Tibet, is regarded by some zoologists as generically 
distinct under the name of Scaptochirus. 
Remains of 7. europea occur in the Norfolk Forest bed, while 
extinct species are found in the European Tertiaries as far down as 
the Lower Miocene, although it has been proposed to separate 
some of these forms generically. Protalpa, of the Upper Eocene 
Phosphorites of Central France, is very closely allied, but the 
structure of the humerus is somewhat less specialised. 
