144 
STAR-NOSED MOLE. 
leave one half of the tail to designate a new species and the other 
half forcing it back to its legitimate place in the system of nature. 
The singular character (knotted tail) on which this Genus was er- 
roneously founded should suggest to the naturalist the necessity of cau- 
tion. The tails of quadrupeds in drying often assume a very different 
shape from that which they originally possessed. This is especially 
the case among the Shrews and mice, that are described from dried 
specimens, as square-tailed, angular or knobbed, whereas in nature their 
tails were round. 
