60 
U S. P. It. It. EXP. AND SURVEYS-GEOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
SCALOPS AQUATICUS. 
Common Mole. 
Sorex aquaticus, Lin. Syst. Nat. ed. 10th, I, 1758, 53.— Ib. ed. 12th, 1766, 74. 
Erxleben, Syst. Reg. Anim."1777, 123. 
Sciireber, Saugt. Ill, 566, tab. clvi i. - 
Boddjert, Elenchus Anim. 1784, 124. 
Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 112. 
Scalops aquaticus, Fischer, Syn. 1829, 249. 
Bachman, Bosl. Jour. N. H. IV, 1843, 28. 
Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. J1, 1841, 103.—Ib. V, 1855, 572. — Ib. Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1843, ii, 32. 
Dekay, N. Y. Zool. I, 1842, 15; pi. iv, f. 2. 
Aud. & Bach. N. A. Quad. I, 1849, 81; pi. xxxi. 
Giebel, Saugt. 1855, 895. 
Talpa Jlavescens, Erxleben, Syst. Reg. Anim, 1777, 118. (From Pennant.) 
Talpafusca, Shaw, Gen. Zool. Mamm. I, 1800, 524. (From Pennant.) 
Talpa puipurascens, Shaw', Gen. Zool. Mamm. I, 1800, 521. (From Seba.) 
Scalops canadensis, Desmarest, Mam. I, 1820, 155. 
Harlan, F. Am. 1825, 32. 
Griff, Cuv. V, 1827, 107. 
WppaKft'FF, Am. Jour. Sc. XXVIII, 1835, 168. (Habits.) 
? Scalops pennsylvanica, Harlan, F. Am. 1825, 33. 
Fischer, Syn. 1829, 250. 
Brown mole, Penn. Syn. Quad.1771, 314 .—Ib. 2d ed. 1781, 486. — Ib. Arctic Zool. I, 1784, 141. 
Yellow mole, Penn. Syn. Quad. 1771, 312. (Faded specimen.) 
Sp. Ch. —Teeth 36. Eyes and ears excessively minute; the former not covered by integument. Nostrils antero-superior. 
Palms broader than long, claws included. Tail nearly naked; feet fully webbed. Color dark plumbeous, with occasionally a 
brownish tinge ; feet and tail white. 
This mole is thick and clumsy in its proportions. The muzzle is long and much depressed,' 
the anterior face of the incisors falling about midway between the angle of the mouth and the 
end of the nose. The upper surface of the snout is naked, the lower portion and the sides are 
provided with scattered hairs ; its under surface has a broad furrow, extending from the incisors 
to the bulb of the nose. 
The nostrils are situated in the end of the snout, which is truncated at an angle of about 45°, 
or less, to receive them ; they are thus antero-superior, not at all visible from below, much 
more so from above than laterally. 
The eye and ear are both exceedingly small, the meatus auditorius not larger than a medium 
sized dressing-pin hole, the eye about half as large. The orbit is open, as in S. townsendii. 
There is no external ear, and the meatus is almost closed. The eye is a little behind a point 
midway between the ear and the tip of the nose ; it is situated very little behind the angle of 
the mouth. The ear is placed above the insertion of the arm. 
The palms are very large and broad, broader than long, even including the claws. On the 
inner side, the palm projects in an obtuse angle, some distance beyond the first claw. The 
claws are very strong and large ; the third largest, the fifth smallest. 
The hind feet are short and broad, shorter than the fore feet by half the longest fore claw ; 
its claws moderately long and slender ; the foot is webbed to the claws, although when the toes 
are stretched apart the membrane does not go continuously across, but is emarginated between 
the claws. 
