macroscelididæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A family of small terrestrial salient insectivorous mammals, of mouse-like aspect, with soft pelage, and the hinder limbs fitted for leaping (as in the jerboas) by the elongation of the leg and metatarsus, the tibia and fibula being ankylosed below. The species are African, and known as elephant-shrews, elephant-mice, and jumping-shrews. There are two genera, Macroscelides and Petrodromus. Also Macroscelidæ.