1915.] 



TOE FAMILY TALPID^. 



21 



of Zoology; Mr. P, A. Taverner, of the Victoria Memorial Museum, 

 Ottawa, Ontario; Mr. Stanley G. Jewett, of the Oregon State Game 

 Commission; Dr. Charles H. Gilbert, of Stanford University; 

 Mr. Myron H. Swenk, of the University of Nebraska; Mr. W. H. Over, 

 of the University of South Dakota; Mr. H. E. Anthony, lIi. D. E. 

 Kent, Mr. G. L. Kirk, Mr. W. E. Saunders, and Mr. Thaddeus Surber. 

 The writer is also indebted to Mr. Gerritt S. Miller, jr., and Mr. N. 

 HoUister, of the United States National Museum, and Dr. M. W. 

 Lyon, of the George Washington University, for many courtesies and 

 suggestions. The text drawings, with the exception of fignire 1, are 

 the work of Miss Euth Gibson Collette. 



THE FAMILY TALPIDffi. 



The family Talpidse, exclusive of fossil forms, is composed of 

 thirteen genera peculiar to the temperate regions of the Northern 

 Hemisphere.^ Five of these (Scahpus, Scapanus, Parascalops, 

 Condylura, and NeilrotricTius) are indigenous to North America. 

 Scapanus and Neurotrichus are found only on the Pacific slope; 

 Scalopus, Parascalops, and Condylura, only in the Atlantic drainage. 

 The family is a rather heterogenous group which, in certain genera, 

 has characters in common with other families of Insectivora. The 

 characters taken in combination, however, are diagnostic. The 

 nearest relationships of the family are with the Soricidse, which are 

 approached most closely in the Thibetan genus Uropsilus. The 

 American Talpidse, however, are distinct from any of the American 

 Soricidse and may be distinguished by the following characters : 



AMERICAN TALPID^ (mOLES). 



Ear-conch absent. 



Clavicle short and broad. 



Humerus short and broad (length less 

 than twice the width). 



Pelvis relatively narrow (length more 

 than thrice the width). 



Os falciforme present on the fore foot 

 (rudimentary and indistinct in Neuro- 

 trichus) . 



Terminal phalanges of fore feet bifur- 

 cate. 



Zygomata present. 



Audital bullse present, complete or in- 

 complete. 



Exterior pterygoid region rotund and 

 much inflated. 



First upper incisor flat, without elon- 

 gated crown. 



AMERICAN SORICID^ (SHREWS). 



Ear-conch present (small and incon- 

 spicuous in Blarina and Cryptotis). 



Clavicle long and slender. 



Humerus relatively long and slender 

 (length more than twice the width). 



Pelvis relatively broad (length less 

 than thrice the width). 



No OS falciforme on the fore foot. 



Teiminal phalanges of fore feet simple, 

 not bifm'cate. 

 Zygomata absent. 

 Audital bullae absent. 



Exterior pterygoid region angular and 

 not inflated. 



First upper incisor not flat, with veiy 

 elongated crown. 



» A closely related family, Chrysochloridae, is found in central and southern Africa. 



