500 Vertebrate . 



ramus of tte mandible, it is very large, and projects fonrards ; the first 

 upper incisor is similar in form ; the canines small ; the cusps are in many cases 

 reddish-brown. The Shrews, which feed upon Insects and Worms, are represented 

 in Britain by the following species : the Common Shrew (Sorex vulgaris), the 

 Lesser Shrew (S. pygmxus), comparatively rare in England, but taking the 

 place of the Common Shrew in Ireland ; the Water Shrew [Crossopus fodiens), 

 distributed over England and the South of Scotland ; all with brown teeth. Two 

 Musk Shrews (C. aranea and C. suavolens) occur on the continent of Europe, 

 but not in Britain. 



4. Of foreign Insectivora, besides the Cape Moles, the following may 

 be mentioned: The Desmans (Myogale), aquatic forms with webbed feet; 

 proboscis long, tail long and scaly ; possessed of musk glands : a large species, 

 the Russian Desman {M. unosehata), with compressed tail, occurs in South 

 Russia ; another smaller species (M. pyrsenica), with cylindrical tail, in the 

 Pyrenees. The Jumping Shrews (Macroseelides) are saltatorial animals, with 

 elongate metatarsus ; long proboscis ; large pinnae : in Africa. Cladohates, with 

 powerful tail, furnished with long laterally- directed hairs ; squiiTel-like animals, 

 living in trees in Africa. The Cobego or Kaguan {Galeopithecus volans) ia 

 in many respects an aberrant form ; a patagium is stretched between the fore- 

 limbs, the body and the hind limbs ; the edges of the lower incisors are pectinate. 

 It is about the size of a Cat and is herbivorous, inhabiting the South Sea 

 islands, the Moluccas and Philippines. 



Not e. — The genus Hyrax may be mentioned here. It was formerly regarded 

 as an Ungulate, but appears to the author to be allied to the Insectivora ; its 

 systematic position is, however, still very doubtful. The few species of the 

 genus are small rodent-like animals with soft fur; pointed snout; quite short 

 tail ; legs of medium length : there are four well-developed digits on the fore 

 feet (the poUex is rudimentary), the hind foot has only three toes ; all the digits 

 are provided with flat naUs (not hoofs), except the inner toe of the hind foot 

 which bears a claw; there is a large sole to the foot, t f, c §, ^ f, m f ; the 

 grinding surface of the molars is very like that of the Rhinoceros ; the inner 

 incisors are large, so that the dentition is somewhat rodent-like : herbivorous ; 

 Africa and West Asia. 



Order 4. Chiroptera (Sats). 



The Bats are remarkable, chiefly on account of the peculiar 

 modification of the fore limb. With the exception of the first, all the 

 metatarsals and their corresponding digits are much elongated, and 

 a naked patagium* is stretched between them. It reaches from the 

 fifth finger along the arm and forearm, to the body and hind libsm ; 

 in front a similar membrane is stretched in the angle between the 

 arm and forearm, and there is frequently another between the hind 

 limbs and the tail. The hind feet and the short poUex are free ; 

 of the fingers, the third and fifth are without claws ; in the small 

 Bats, the second also ; but the thumbs and the five digits of the hind 

 feet possess curved claws : the terminal phalanx of the clawless 

 digits is absent : besides the metatarsus and the digits, the arm and 



* The patagium is not absolutely naked, for there are very fine hairs scattered about 

 on it. 



