MOLES. 
31 
like kangaroos or jerboas, seldom putting their lore-leet to the 
ground. This modification for leaping is very common in 
animals livino; in tracts of desert country, as it facilitates 
progress over deep loose sand. The largest members of the 
family belong to the genus Rhifnclioci/on ( 264 ), of which 
mounted specimens and a skeleton are exhibited ; several 
species of the typical genus Macroscelideii ( 268 - 270 ) are also 
shown. 
The Krinaceidce include the Hedgehogs {Erinaceus. 247 - 249 ), 
of which there are numerous species, all very similar to the 
English Hedgehog, both in a])pearance and habits, and distri- 
l)uted over Europe, Africa, and Asia ; the Rat-Shrew, Gymnura 
( 245 , 246 ), a long-tailed animal, closely related to the Hedge- 
hogs, but looking externally much more like a large Rat ; and 
Ilylomys ( 244 ), also Rat-like, but much smaller and with a very 
short tail ; the two latter are natives of the Malay Peninsula, 
Sumatra, and Borneo. 
In the Mole family [Talpida’) the long-tailed Desmans, 
Myogale, one species of which, il/. inoschata ( 278 ), lives in the 
neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea, and the second, M. jjyrenaica 
( 279 ), in the Pyrenees, are entirely aquatic in their habits, 
living on water-insects and crustaceans, which they obtain by 
the help of the long and peculiarly formed snout. The feet are 
edged with stiff bristles to assist tliem in swimming, and, for 
the same purpose, the powerful tail is flattened from side to 
side. The Moles, Talpa ( 274 , 275 ), comprise a considerable 
number of species, alike externally, but dilfering among them- 
selves in the structure of their skulls and teeth. They are 
long-nosed, short-tailed animals, with rudimentary eyes, and soft 
velvety fur, of such a structure as to lie equally well in either 
direction, thus enabling them to move freely in their burrows 
either backwards or forwards. They are also remarkable tor 
their short, broadened, spade-like fore-feet, the toes being- 
strong and all of nearly the same length (see fig. 10, A). With 
these highly efficient instruments Moles are able to force the 
earth aside and throw it backwards while burrowing in the 
ground. Their breeding-habits are illustrated in a special case 
in the pavilion at the end of the Bird Gallery on the ground 
