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 The family Talpidae includes the moles, shrew moles, and desmans, all of which are confined to the north of North America and Eurasia. These predominantly burrowing insectivores (29 species in 12 genera) are highly secretive and because of their way of life have, in general, been poorly studied. The species that has, to date, received most attention from naturalists and biologists alike is the European mole (Talpa europaea), whose way of life and behavior are probably quite similar to many of the other species within this family. Moles are highly specialized for a subterranean, fossorial way of life. Their broad, spade-like forelimbs, which have developed as powerful digging organ s , are attached to muscular shoulders and a deep chestbone. The skin on the chest is thicker than elsewhere on the body as this region supports the bulk of the mole's weight when it digs or sleeps. Behind the enormous shoulders the body is almost cylindrical, tapering slightly to narrow hips with short

 A very different way of life is exhibited by the desmans, of which there are two species. The Pyrencan desman Galemys pyrenaicus is confined to permanent, fast-flowing streams of the Pyrenees mountain range and parts of northern Iberia, the Russian desman Desmana moschat a is found only in the slower moving waters and lakes of the western and central Soviet Union Just as moles are superbly adapted for a fossorial way of life, so too are the desmans for water. The streamlined body of the Pyrenean desman enables it to glide rapidly through the water, propelled by powerful webbed hindlimbs and steered, to some extent, by a long. broad tail. For any animal living in the snow-fed mountain streams, feeding and retaining body heat are top priorities. Unlike hedgehogs or tenrecs, desmans do not undergo periods of hibernation or torpor and must, therefore, live in optimum habitats to ensure their survival during the winter months when prey is most scarce. What Do Desmans Eat? Desmans feed