Glass 6. Mammalia. Order 2. Marsupialia. 499 



strong (Kg. 403 B) ; fore limbs small ; tail very strong, used as a support in 

 sitting, i f. Large and small forms {Halmaturus, Hypsiprywrnus, etc.) in 

 Australia and adjacent islands, 



(c) Wombats (Phascolomys). Distinguislied in tbat tbey bave only a 

 single incisor on eacb side, above and below (like the Rodents) ; all the teeth 

 gi-ow from persistent pulps ; the second and third hind toes only slightly weaker 

 than the others ; tail very short; clumsy nocturnal animals. 



Note. — The recently discovered Australian Mammal, Notary ctes typhlops, 

 with habits like those of the Mole, is also a Marsupial. The third and fourth 

 digits of the fore limbs are provided with strong, compressed, digging claws 

 (the rest of the claws are smaller) ; a hard, homy plate is developed on the 

 dorsal side of the snout, and the head is used in digging ; the eyes are rudi- 

 mentary ; pinnsB ai-e absent. Claws are developed on all five digits of the hind 

 foot, whilst in other Marsupials the hallux, if present, has no claw, i f . 



Order 3. Insectivora. 



The Insectivora are small, short legged, placental Mammals ; with 

 the snout elongated, more or less like a proboscis; and with 

 multicuspidate molar teeth, the front ones being usually small 

 and unicuspidate. They generally walk on the whole foot (planti- 

 grade) ; both fore and hind feet have usually five similar toes. 



The canines are frequently small, some of the incisors large ; clavicles are 

 present ; eyes and pinnse are usually little developed ; mammillae abdominal. 



The Insectivora feed chiefly upon Insects, Worms, etc., rarely on 

 vegetable substances. They are entirely absent from Australia and 

 South America. 



1. The Hedgehog (Erinaceus). Spines (very thick, stiff hairs) dorsally, 

 usually finer or coarser hair ventrally ; feet simple, tail short. It can roll itself 

 into a ball by the ventral flexure of the head, limbs and taU, the spiny dorsal 

 surface being drawn down by the contraction of the large skin muscles. Canines 

 absent ; first incisor, above and below, larger than the rest of the incisors ; the 

 cusps of the molars blunter than in other Insectivora ; altogether, ten teeth above, 

 eight below, on each side. The Common Hedgehog (JB. europ^eus) is 

 distributed almost throughout the whole of Europe ; it lives both upon plant and 

 animal food ; it hibernates for the wiuter. 



2. The Mole {Talpa). The fore limbs are developed into very strong digginc 

 organs ; the hand is broad, with long, powerful, and almost straight, claws, and 

 so compressed, that the inner edge, supported by a peculiar sickle-shaped bone, is 

 turned downwards, whilst the palm is turned outwards ; the clavicle is extremely 

 short and powerful, pre-stemum with a keel ; the eyes are rudimentary ; pinnee 

 absent ; tail short ; fur soft ; dental formula complete, \^ ; canines of the lower 

 jaw like the incisors, which are small and simple (Kg. 393). The Talpidse live 

 exclusively upon animal food, chiefly Earthworms. The English species is the 

 Common Mole (T.europgsa). TheG-oldeu or Cape Moles (Ghrysochloris) 

 constitute another group of fossorial Insectivora. They are blind, subterranean 

 animals with velvety coat; the claws and last phalanges of the second, and 

 especially of the third, fingers, are very powerful, the first and fourth fingers are 

 small, the fifth absent ; the hand is not compressed. South Africa. 



3. The Shrew {Sorese) is a small Insectivore, with a long tail; pointed 

 proboscis ; feet of simple structure ; and soft fur. There is only one incisor in each 



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