CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 4. INSECTIVORA. 
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ORDER 4. INSECTIVORA. 
Tlie order of Insectivora, or Insect-eaters, in- 
cludes several families, as follows ; the Tapaia, 
the Hedgehog or -Erinaceics, the Gymnure, the 
Tanrec, the Elephant-mouse or Macroscelide, the 
Rhynchocyon, the Shrew or Sorex, the Soleno- 
donie, the Desman or Mygale, the .Ch^ysoclore, the 
il/b^e or Talpa, the Scalops, and the Condylure. 
The Lisectivoi'ous Mammalia, some of whicli 
are of exceedingly curious structure and habits, 
are readily distinguished from the Carnivora, with 
Avhich, however, they are nearly allied, by the 
structure of their teeth. The skull is slighter 
and more elongated, the bones of the face and 
jaws being usually produced so as to form a 
muzzle of considerable length ; the jaws are gen- 
erally inferior in strength to those of the Car- 
nivora. The form of the body, its clothing, and 
the development of the tail, vary considerably, 
but the legs are always short, so that the belly of 
the animal is raised but little above the ground ; 
the feet are plantigrade, and generally furnished 
with five toes, of which the innermost is never 
opposable. The animals usually run upon the ground, sometimes dig beneath its surface, and 
sometimes ascend trees. An important distinction between them and the Carnivora is furnished 
by their possession of complete clavicles, which are always wanting or rudimentary in the latter. 
The mammas are generally numerous, and always situated on the belly. 
In the development of the brain and organs of the senses, they closely resemble the Rodentia, 
and this similarity .is also frequently recognizable in their external form; so close is it, in fact, 
that many members of the present order are popularly confounded with the Rodentia, and the 
Vol. I.— 18 
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HEAD OP PETRODROME. (See p. 142.) 
