Talpa (talpa)

[NL., Common European Mole ( Talpa europӕа). have forty-four teeth, with three incisors, one canine, four premolars, and three molars above and below on each side. The American moles are all of different genera ( Scalops, Scapanus, and Condylura ).-2. [l. c.] In pathol., a tumor under the skin, especially a wen on the head: so called because it is vulgarly supposed to burrow like a mole. Also called testudo.-3t. [ l. c.] A military engine used in sieges for undermining walls: probably only a roof or movable penthouse used to protect the miners from mi iles. IMG:content-2811.jpg:[blocks in formation] And either shall thees talpes voide or sterve. Palladius , Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 34. Talpidæ (tal'pi-dē), n. pl. [NL., Talpa + -idæ.] A family of terrestrial and fo orial, rarely natatorial, insectivorous mammals; the moles. They are related to the shrews, but differ in having the skull smooth behind, the zygomata completed, a bullate tympanic bone, and the scapular arch and fore limb more or le highly specialized with reference to fo orial habits, the scapula being long and narrow, the humerus short and broad, and the manus with acce ory o icles. The eyes are minute or rudimentary, the ears short and concealed; there is no cæcum nor pubic symphysis; the manubrium stern i is broad and keeled, and the tibia and fibula are united. There are two main modifications of the family-moles proper, Talpinæ , and musk-shrews, Myogalina. The Talpidæ are connected with the shrews by such genera as Urotrichus , Neürotrichus , and Uropsilus . The rather numerous species, of about 12 genera, are confined to the northern hemisphere. See cuts under Con dylura, desman, Scalops, and Talpa. Talpine (tal-pi'ne), n. pl. [NL., moles proper and shrew-moles. They have the fore limbs highly specialized for digging, with a long narrow scapula, short broad clavicle and humerus, and an acce ory falciform carpal bone, the fore limb peculiarly rotated on its axis, the eyes rudimentary, the upper incisors 6, the lower 6 or 4. The living genera are Talpa, Mogera, Paras captor, Scaptochirus, Scalops, Scapanus, and Condylura. See cuts under Condylura, Scalops, and Talpa.