150 
VERTEBRATA. 
mole takes its place, and is popularly regarded as a mole. These curious little creatures are 
familiar to every gardener and farmer in the Northern and Middle States, by their paths and 
galleries in the earth, the traces of which are visible in little mounds on the surface. Gifted with 
powerful fore-paws for digging, and a sharp, muscular, tough, and flexible nose, it can bore its 
way in the soft soil with amazing celerity. The name given to the tribe, Scalops, from the 
Latin, sculpo, I scrape, indicates its leading characteristics. One of these creatures will some- 
times make a course of a hundred feet in a single night ! Their food consists chiefly of earth- 
worms, and these they pursue, emboweled in the soil, with the same energy and activity that 
other animals seek their prey above ground. It is a general idea in the country that they devour 
the vegetables, and hence they are objects of persecution with the farmer : the damage they do, 
however, is very slight, consisting only in disturbing the soil, and occasionally uprooting a few 
plants, and not in eating them. 
This animal furnishes one of those instances of happy adaptation of means to ends, in which 
the Avorks of nature abound. Its form is cylindrical, its neck stout and short, its head tapering 
to a point, — all suiting it to its mining operations in the soil. Its eyes are exceedingly minute, 
and imbedded in fur, so as to shield them from the dirt in which it works. Its fur is thick and 
compact, in order to protect the body from the cold and dampness, .and every hair is of a glossy 
polish to repel the earth and mud with which it comes in contact. Add to .this, what has been 
already mentioned, the gimlet nose, and the stout, strong, shovel-shaped paAvs, and we see a 
httle, energetic, skillful miner, endowed by nature with all the tools needful for success in life. 
He seems condemned to toil and darkness, but, in point of fact, what are these but sources of 
enjoyment, when they lead him to a perpetual feast? If, as sometimes happens, he chooses to 
peep out from his burrow, and to take a night-scamper over the sod, his little eyes dilate and 
give him all the vision that he needs or wishes. Truly viewed, the shrew-mole, apparently con- 
demned to a dark and dirty existence, is a happy example of a thrifty and contented housekeeper 
and a very model of personal cleanliness. 
The Common Shrew-Mole, ScalojJS aqicaticus, or *S'. Canadensis, is about six inches long, 
which is the size of the European mole. The fur is like velvet, and of a silvery brown, almost 
black; the snout and palms are of a pinkish flesh-color. Sometimes these creatures are seen 
running rapidly along on the ground, but soon dive into one of the openings of their burrows. 
Although frequently perforating new paths, they still have galleries which are permanent avenues, 
in some of which they have soft nests of dried grass and leaves for their young. When two 
rival moles meet, they sidle up at each other like two pigs, and after a short tussle one gets the 
better of the other, aiid punishes him with his teeth. 
The period of activity for this little creature is the warm season. It does not become abso- 
lutely torpid in winter, but seems only to live a more retired and sedentary life at that period. 
Though its scientific name of aqicaticus indicates that it is of aquatic habits, such is not the case, 
as its whole life is spent on the land. This is one of those names given under mistake, and per- 
severed in because it has become common. 
This species is found from Canada to the Southern States. Four others are known ; — the 
Black-clawed Shkew-Mole, >S'. JEneus, is of a brassy brown, and is almost as brilliant as the 
chrysochloris : it is found in Oregon. The Silvery Shrew-Mole, S. argentatus, greatly resem- 
bling the S. aquaticiis, though nearly twice as large, is found in Michigan. Townsend's Shrew- 
Mole, S. Tovmsendii, is equal in size to the preceding, but has eight more teeth than the S. 
aquaiicus, and is found in Oregon. The Texan Shrew-Mole, S. latimanus, is found in Mexico 
and Texas. Brewer's Shrew-Mole, aS'. Breweri, is a little larger than the S. aquaticus, and is 
of a glossy, cinereous, black color. Under the breast there is a slight tinge of brown. It is found 
from Massachusetts to Yirginia. 
THE CONDYLURES. 
Genus CONDYLURE : Qondylura. — Of this there is but a single species, the Star-nosed 
Mole, C. cristata, distinguished for its star-like, membraneous process on the nose. It is 
confined to North America, and is thinly scattered over the country from Hudson's Bay to 
