Mr. E. Blyth ort the Indian species of Shrews. 25 



[In a report printed in the J. A. S., bearing the date of Sept. 

 1854, Mr. Blyth gives a note on this species^ which explains 

 more fully the synonymy than does the present memoir, although 

 it bears date more recently than the note alluded to. Mr. Blyth 

 confirms Dr. Gray in referring S. soccatus, Hodgs., and S. ater- 

 rimus, Blyth, to this species ; but he goes on to observe, that 

 Mr. Hodgson has since described another, and perfectly distinct 

 species, under the name of S. soccatuSj which I presume is the 

 S. soccATUS of the present memoir, a typical Sorex, whilst the 

 former so-called species is the sole example of the genus Sori- 

 CULUS, Blyth. 



After explaining its synonymy, and alluding to the species 

 since described by Mr. Hodgson as S. soccatus, Mr. Blyth says : 

 " The dentition \i. e. of S, nigrescens'] is that of Crossopus, and 

 not of CoRSiRA (to which group Dr. Gray assigns the species) ; 

 but this common little Sikim Shrew does not exhibit the modi- 

 fications for aquatic habits which are characteristic of Crossopus, 

 Wagler.^^ The following appears, therefore, to be the synonymy 

 of this species : — 



Corsira nigrescens, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. x. 261. 



1842. 

 Sorex Sikimensisj Hodgs. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. New Ser. 



iii. 203. 

 soccatus, Hodgs. Calc. J. N. H. iv. 288 (not de- 

 scribed); (?) Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xv. 1845, 270. 

 aterrimus, Blyth, J. A. S.B. 1843, 128? (not described). 



Soriculus nigrescens of the present memoir. — R. F. T.] 



2. Crossopus, Wagler (v. Hydrosorex, N. Duvernoy, and 

 Pinalia, Gray). With the hind-feet large and ciliated, and the 

 tail also compressed and ciliated beneath towards its extremity — 

 in adaptation to aquatic habits. 



N.B. S. FODiENs (v. hydrophilus), Pallas, and other Water 

 Shrews of Europe and N. America constitute the types of this 

 division ; and Dr. Gray refers to it a Himalayan species, which, 

 having white teeth, we very much suspect will prove to differ in 

 other and more important particulars, even though it may 

 exhibit the adaptive characters of an enlarged and ciliated 

 hind-foot and compressed and ciliated tail-tip. It is thus de- 

 scribed : — 



18. Cr. Himalayicus, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. x. 261 

 (1842). "Length of head and body 5^ in.; tail 3 in.; hind- 

 foot f (nearly). Slate- coloured black, with scattered long 

 hairs, which are longer and white-tipped on the sides and rump ; 

 lower part of the throat and middle of the belly rusty-brown ; 



