26o The Mammals of Colorado 
Scalops aquaticus machrinus (Lat. aquaticus, aquatic; 
Gxk.makros, large + r his {rhin), nose). Large-Nosed 
Mole. Western Silvery Mole. 
Talpa machrina Rafinesque, Atlantic Journ., i., p. 6i (1832). 
Type locality. — Near Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky. 
Measurements. — Total length, 7; tail vert., 1.25; hind foot, 0.8. 
Description. — Above brown, with grayish shades; according to the 
manner in which the light strikes the hair, it may appear dull or 
bright and silvery; the under parts are a trifle paler in color; tail 
naked, both it and the feet yellowish in dry skin, white in life. 
Cranial characteristics as for genus. 
Distribution. — Wisconsin and Minnesota to Tennessee and 
Missouri, w^est to eastern Kansas, Nebraska, and southwestern 
South Dakota. There is a single Colorado record, from Wray, 
Yuma County, where it seems rather common from reports 
received. 
Habits. — The habits have been sufficiently described under 
the descri /lion of the genus. 
Family SORICID^ 
Small terrestrial or rarely aquatic mouse-like insectivores 
with long projecting muzzles, hairy bodies, and well-developed 
tails usually covered with short hairs but not bushy; skull 
long and narrow without zygomatic arch or postorbital pro- 
cesses, and the tympanic bone remaining ring-like, not form- 
ing a bulla; first upper incisor large and hook-like with a 
basal cusp; a number of small teeth closely resembling one 
another between this and the molars represent the other 
incisors, canines, and premolars; upper molars three in 
number, with their cusps arranged in a distinct W. 
This family is an extensive one, including more than half 
the representatives of the order; its distribution is coextensive 
with that of the order, being spread all over the temperate and 
tropical regions of both hemispheres, except South America 
and Australia. 
