330 MAMMALS 



trifle over two inches in length, is surely quite a contrast 

 with those other two gigantic mammals, the elephant and 

 the whale. The shrews greatly resemble small mice. The 

 body is covered with a coat of soft, furry hair ; but the eyes 

 are small and often hidden in the fur, for these animals 

 burrow beneath the surface of the soil and are not often 

 seen by day. They live largely in the woods, and some 

 species are aquatic. 



Moles. — Probably the moles are the best-known mam- 

 mals of the insectivorous group. They are often held 

 responsible for serious injury when, in reality, they do more 

 good than harm. 



The shoulders and fore legs of the mole are very short 

 and stout ; and the fore feet are broad and shovel-like, with 

 each toe ending in a strong, sharp claw. Thus the animal 

 is fitted for digging. The nose is long and slender, and the 

 body is covered with a very fine, soft, dense coat of hair. 

 Since the mole lives in .the earth, it has no need for well- 

 developed eyes. In fact, the eyes are situated beneath the 

 skin and serve only to distinguish daylight from darkness. 



Like the shrews, the mole lives on earthworms, insects, 

 and the larvse of insects, or " grubs," that exist in the soil. 

 To obtain these, it becomes necessary to burrow here and 

 there through the soil. Hence the burrows made by the 

 mole are dug in quest of worms and " grubs," and not of 

 seeds or roots. 



The hedgehog is an Old World mammal belonging to the 

 Insectivora. It has spines on its body, and when attacked, 

 rolls up into a ball like the porcupine. The largest may 

 slightly exceed a large rat in size. The term hedgehog 

 is often applied to the porcupine, which we have already 

 studied in the group of gnawing mammals. 



