shrew-mole

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A North American insectivorous mammal of either of the genera Scalops and Scapanus. The shrew-moles are the characteristic moles of North America, outwardly resembling very closely the true Old World moles, but distinguished by technical characters of the dentition, etc. The common shrew-mole of the United States is Scalops aquaticus; others are Townsend's, Scapanus townsendi, and the hairy-tailed, Scapanus americanus. See cut under Sealops.