58 INSECTIVOROUS MAMMALS. 



discoverer. Ifc is closely related to S. cylindricauda from -Szechuan, 

 which is remarkable in having a black stripe down the back. S. 

 ivardi has this stripe, but it is not so distinct. 



*S'. sinalis and S. cansulus are other recent discoveries in these 

 parts, as also are Chodsigoa lamula and Blarinella grisella. 



Milne-Edwards described a watershrew from Eastern Thibet, not 

 far from this same district, but so far nothing of the kind has been 

 found in North China. 



In Manchuria last summer I secured specimens of a large black 

 musk-shrew, belonging to the genus Crocidura. The scent glands on 

 the side of the body were very pronounced, while the odour from the 

 shrew, which, as far as I could make out, emanated from these glands, 

 was very strong. I could detect it some yards away. There is some 

 question as to whether this strong odour is protective, and in this con- 

 nection I can only quote from the natives. They told me in the dis- 

 trict where I trapped the specimens that cats would not touch these 

 shrews, while one man volunteered the information that in a certain 

 valley not far from this vicinity, the settlers could not keep any cats, 

 because they would kill and eat these shrews and get poisoned. The 

 two statements somewhat conflict but I am inclined to place credence 

 in the former, as a cat belonging to a neighbouring farmer continually 

 brought in voles and mice, but never once brought in a shrew, though 

 she hunted in exactly the spots where I trapped my specimens. The 

 mortality amongst the cats of the neighbouring valley was probably 

 due to some other cause. 



The Mole {Scaptochiriis gilliesi). 



As far as I can gather only four species of moles have been des- 

 cribed from the whole of North China. Three of these belong to the 

 genus Scaptochirus. The largest is S. leptnrus first described from 

 Peking. This mole is peculiar chiefly on account of the tail, which is 

 club-shaped and almost bare. In external appearance it resembles the 

 common British species, except that the fur is greyer. 



