26 



NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[No. 38. 



Scapasius Beddard, Cambridge Nat. Hist., vol. 10, Mammalia, p. 518, 1902. Mis- 

 print for Scapanm. 



Scaphanus Herrick, Mamm. Minnesota, Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. Minnesota, Bui. 

 7, p. 55, 1892. Misprint or emendation for Scapanus. 



Sorex Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 53, 1758. The American moles Con- 

 dylura cristata and Scalopus aquaticus were placed in the genus Sorex by Linnaeus. 

 Shaw (Gen. Zool., Mamm., vol. 1, p. 531, 1800) described Sorex radiatus (=Con- 

 dylura cristata) from a description and faulty figure by De La Faille. 



Talpa Liimseus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 52, 1758. Type species: Talpa europsea 

 Linnaeus. A Palaearctic genus with which some or all American moles were 

 considered congeneric by certain early writers. Last used for American Talpidae 

 by Le Conte (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 6, p. 326, 1854), who referred 

 to it the genera now Imown as Scalopus, Scapanus, and Farascalops. 



Talpasorex Schinz, Cuvier's Thierreich, vol. 1, p. 191, 1821. Substitution for 

 Condylura lUiger. 



Talpasorex Lesson, Manuel de Mammalogie, p. 124, 1827. Synonym of Scalopus 

 Geoffrey. Based upon Scalops pennyslvanica Harlan {=Sorex aquaticus Linnaeus), 

 in the original description of which the dental formula was erroneously stated. 

 Nec Talpasorex Schinz, by which it is preoccupied. 



Urotrichus Temminck, Van der Hoeven's Tijdschr. Nat. Geschied. Physiol., vol. 5, 

 p. 286, 1838-1839. A Japanese genus with which Neiirotrichus was included 

 imtil 1880. 



Keys to the Genera of Moles. 



[Based on external characters.] 



a} Length of tail vertebrae less than one-fourth the total length; width of palm equal- 

 ing or exceeding length of palm. 

 b.^ Tail naked or but scantily haired; nostrils superior. 

 c\ Tail somewhat slender, essentially naked; fore toes webbed; geographic range 



east of Rocky Mountains Scalopus (p. 27). 



c^. Tail somewhat fleshy, scantily haired; fore toes not webbed; geographic range 



west of Rocky Mountains Scapanus (p. 54). 



6.2 Tail densely covered with hair; nostrils lateral Parascalops (p. 77). 



a. 2 Length of tail vertebrae more than one-fourth the total length; width of palm 

 less than length of palm. 

 6.^ Anterior end of snout surrounded by fringe of processes; nostrils circular to 

 oval, anterior; geographic range east of Rocky Mountains . . . Condylura (p. 82). 

 6^. Anterior end of snout not surrounded by fringe of processes; nostrils crescectic, 



lateral; geographic range west of Rocky Mountains Neiirotrichus (p. 92). 



[Based on cranial and dental characters.] 

 a^. Audital bull^ complete; interior basal projection of upper molars narrow, simple. 

 b^. Mastoids relatively heavy; interparietal small; no functional lower canine; 



lower incisors two; geographic range east of Rocky Mountains. ^ScaZopus (p. 27). 

 6^. Mastoids relatively weak; interparietal large; lower canine present; lower 

 incisors three; geogi'aphic range west of Rocky Mountains. . .Scapanus (p. 54). 

 o^. Audital bullae incomplete; interior basal projection of upper molars relatively 

 broad, lobed. 



6^ Interior basal projection of first and second upper molars trilobed; premolars, |. 

 c\ Braincase relatively broad and flat; anterior nares directed forward; first 

 upper incisors broad, directed downward, with an exterior basal acces- 

 sory cusp Parascalops (p. 77). 



