60 Talvid^. MAMMALIA. Talpid^. 
peculiarities, yet, we venture to assert, if any one will 
undertake to make a close acquaintance with their 
anatomy, that of all known animal beings, man alone 
excepted, none will prove more interesting in a struc- 
tural point of view ; and further, none will furnish 
more striking and incontrovertible evidences of the 
truthful doctrine of final causes, and the consummate 
wisdom of creative skill. It is well known these 
creatures enjoy a subterraneous mode of existence, and 
it cannot but delight the high-souled teleologist when 
he perceives that their entire organization is beautifully 
adapted to, and eminently qualifies them for, such a 
habit of life. These adaptations are well seen in the 
skeleton, and selecting that of the common mole 
(Plate 33, fig. 104), the first peculiarity which meets 
the ey& is the apparent length of the osseous frame- 
work — a result which arises rather from the shortness 
of the limbs and elongation of the head than from 
attenuation of the body itself. The bones of the neck, 
A, have very strong transverse processes, for the attach- 
ment of muscles; but the second cervical vertebra only 
is provided with a superior spinous process, to the extre- 
mity of which there is articulated a long slender osseous 
style, which is called the nuchal bone. Altogether 
there are forty-three vertebrte, that is, seven cervi- 
cal, fifteen dorsal, b, six lumbar, c, three sacral, D, and 
twelve caudal, e. The several bones of the head are very 
early consolidated together, while the nasal cartilage 
extends forward in front to support the long projecting 
muzzle. The ribs have a tolerably uniform length, a 
circumstance which helps to impart a cylindrical aspect 
to the skeleton. The long narrow bones of the pelvis 
exhibit a similar appearance of being drawn out, as 
it were, from end to end. In regard to the hinder 
extremities, perhaps the only points worthy of remark 
refer to their general shortening, and the union of the 
tibia and fibula at the lower third of the leg; in the 
bones of the foot there is a supplementaiy tarsal 
segment of considerable size, assuming in the prepared 
skeleton the character of a sixth toe. It is, however, 
in the constitution of the anterior extremity that the 
most extraordinary skeletal deviations are witnessed, 
these being well calculated to excite astonishment. 
The sternum, though not usually described in con- 
nection with the bones of the fore limb, is here so 
intimately associated with the prodigious muscular 
developments attached to it and rendered necessary 
to move the arms, that hitherto we have purposely 
passed it over. It is a very large bone, and the anterior 
portion or manubrium, as it is called, is excessively 
prominent, serving to support the collar bones and tlie 
first pair of ribs. The clavicles are remarkably short, 
thick- and of a quadrate form ; they form a strong 
powt d'appui for muscular action. The scapula or 
shoulder-blade, on the other hand, is extremely long, 
and correspondingly narrowed — more resembling, in 
fact, one of the ordinary cylindrical bones of the limb 
than its normal characteristic flatness. The humerus 
or arm-bone proper is, however, the most strangely 
altered of all, having not only lost the usual elongated 
character so constant in quadrupeds generally', but pre- 
senting an oddly-contorted and jagged outline, utterly 
incomparable to that seen in any other family. Yet, 
in all its typical constituent parts, it is a veritable 
humerus, and by' its very abnormality demonstrates 
how strictly nature adheres to a given archetypal plan, 
even when the exigencies of the individual seem to 
require the introduction of a supernumerary element of 
strength. Observe the remarkable conformity to type. 
This bone presents an irregularly' square-shaped form, 
and is somewhat compressed laterally'. Unlike any 
other humeri with which we are acquainted, it has two 
widely separated and distinct articular facets at the 
superior end; one being articulated to the clavicle, 
the other to the bladebone. A still more manifest 
reversion of the ordinary state of things is seen in the 
situation of the elbow-joint, which, instead of occupy- 
ing its relatively inferior position, is actually placed on 
a higher level than the shoulder-joint ; and as the limb 
is turned and fixed in a semi-prone attitude, the palm 
of the hand is consequently directed outwards and 
backwards. The bones of the forearm, or radius and 
ulna, also take part in these abnormal dispositions ; the 
head or upper end of the former assuming a hooked 
character, while that of the latter is also greatly 
enlarged. By these arrangements strength is imparted, 
and all rotation of the limb prevented. There are 
no less than eleven bones belonging to the carpus or 
wrist ; they are placed in two rows, five in each, while 
the eleventh is attached to the lower extremity of the 
radius ; this latter is sabre-shaped, and converges out- 
wards towards the lower end of the metacarpal bone 
of the thumb, giving increased breadth to the spade- 
like hand. The digital phalanges of the first two rows 
are particularly short and broad, the terminal series 
being elongated, pointed, and curved inwards towards 
the palm. In addition to these skeletal characters, 
there are others of equal importance, when considered 
in the light of a family definition. In the typical 
forms the teeth are forty-four in number, of which there 
are fourteen incisives, six above and eight below, no 
true canines, and thirty' molars, seven on either side of 
the lower jaw and eight similarly disposed in the 
upper ; the anterior pair functionally representing the 
absent canines. The genera Chrysochloris and Condy- 
lura exhibit a slight departure from this dental formula. 
The moles have no external auricles; the eyes are 
very small, the feet being pendactylous and armed 
with strong claws ; the tail is usually short. Speaking 
generally', they have a stout thickset appearance ; but 
this is chiefly due to their large fleshy muscles and 
fatty accumulations, which are also covered by' a dense, 
smooth, furry coat of close-set hair. 
THE COMMON MOLE {Talpa Europcea)—TMe 6, 
fig. 22.— Every rustic is familiar with the habits and 
oblong form of this little mammal, which measures 
five inches in length, not including the tail. Destined 
to pursue its prey' beneath the surface of the earth, it 
is surprising, considering the dense nature of the 
medium, that it should be able to swim, as it were, 
through the very soil with a rapidity perfectly' astound- 
ing. We have already partially unravelled the nature 
of the mechanism by which these movements are 
accomplished in our description of the skeleton ; but 
there still remains to be noticed in particular, tbe 
scoop-like configuration of the hands, which are convex 
