52 Osgood — Status of Sorex merriami. 



unlike all known American shrewe. When the specimen was 

 returned the alcoholic bore my original label and number (1001), 

 but the skull was numbered differently (1886; its proper num- 

 ber is 4861). Dr. Dobson afterwards wrote me that his number 

 was an error, and that the skull belonged to my alcoholic No. 

 1001." 



Since this account no further light upon the unfortunate case 

 was obtained until the summer of 1908, at which time, while 

 engaged in field work in southern Utah for the Biological Sur- 

 vey, I had the good fortune to secure a shrew closely resembling 

 the type of -S. merriami. This appears to remove all doubt as 

 to the validity of merriami as an American species and to make 

 it practically certain that Dr. Dobson 's type was as he supposed, 

 both skin and skull from Fort Custer, Montana. 



The Utah specimen agrees with merriami in its most pro- 

 nounced characters, as dentition, shortness of palate, and thick- 

 ness of rostrum, but differs sufficiently in size and depth of 

 braincase to warrant separate recognition. Externally, it differs 

 from all other American shrews in its pale color, particularly 

 its creamy white underparts and white feet. These characters 

 are more or less evident in the alcoholic type of merriami, and 

 it is not improbable that in both species they are correlated 

 with a relatively arid habitat. The Utah specimen was caught 

 about two hundred yards from running water on a dry rocky 

 Upper Sonoran slope, where the vegetation was scant and 

 practically restricted to Juniperus, Artemisia, and Atriplex. 



Sorex leucogenys sp. nov. 



Type from the month of the canyon of Beaver River, abont 3 miles 

 east of Beaver, Beaver Co., Utah. No. 157,952 U. 8. National Mnsenm, 

 Biolo^;ical Hnrvey Collection. 9 ad. Ang. 12, 1!)0S. W. H. Osgood. 



Characters. — Similar to Sorex merriami, hut sHghtly larger, with a 

 deeper, more elevated hraincase. Tail decidedly shorter than head and 

 ))ody ; color pale; skull witli tliick lieavy rostrum and short lyroad 

 palate; third nnicuspid sHghtly larger than fourth. 



Color. — Upperparts pale hrownish drab ; lower sides sUglitly paler 

 than V)ack, with distinct traces of clear ecru drab ; underparts i)nre 

 creamy white, tlie light terminal parts of the hairs relatively l)r()ad and 

 almost entirely sul)duing the plumbeous undercolor; hairs of chin and 

 sides of face from just below the eye to the end of the nose pure creamy 

 white to roots; whiskers white, except a few upi)er ones blackish at the 

 base; feet white; tail brownisli drab above, white at extreme tij), and 

 white below. 



