214 BULLETIN OF THE 



Under B. brevieaudus Professor Baird further observes: "I have found 

 very great dillieulty in identifying with any certainty the »S. brevieaudus of 

 Say, at least in the references to this species, as supposed to be found in 

 the eastern portion of the continent. I have, however, I think, discovered 

 it in some specimens of very large size from Nebraska and Iowa, localities 

 nearer to that of the original specimen (Council Bluffs) than of any speci- 

 men yet discovered." In his list of the specimens referred to this'species 

 Professor Baird gives two from Nebraska, two from Iowa, and one each 

 from Illinois and Wisconsin. The latter four are, however, referred with 

 a mark of doubt. It is to be regretted that full measurements of all these 

 specimens are not given for comparison with the excellent series of B. " tal- 

 poides " ; * as the size of two out of the three given is equalled by several of 

 the B. talpoides, they being respectively but 0.50 and 3.G5 inches in length. 

 In view of the generally admitted variability of this species in size, color, 

 length of tail, &c, at single localities, and which some seventy specimens 

 now before me from Massachusetts fully demonstrate, and the but slightly 

 larger size of Mr. Say's single example from Council Bluffs (which forms 

 the original of £. brevieaudus) than the average of our short-tailed shrews, 

 I refer to one species, and to this of Say, all the short-tailed shrews of the 

 Northern and the Eastern States, Canada and the adjoining Provinces, of 

 which the more recent name (S. talpoides) of Capper becomes a synonyme. 

 Also, in view of the already known wide distribution of this species, and 

 the law of variation in size witli respect to latitude and elevation, I must 

 also consider the. 5. carolinensis of Bachman, which only differs from the 

 northern specimens of S. brevieaudus (B. talpoides Gray, Baird's Report) in 

 its slightly smaller size, as merely the more southern and hence the smaller 

 race. Indeed, in consequence of the large size allowed it by Dr. Bach- 

 man, Professor Baird is inclined to consider this name as a synonyme of /,'. 

 talpoides, as under this species he states: " Nor do I feel quite sure that 

 the Sorcx carolinensis of Bachman is really anything else than a small 

 S. lalpoides. The measurements given by him (length three inches) agree 



* There has never been a more valuable contribution to the Natural History of the 

 Mammals and Birds of North America, or of any country, than the lists of specimens 

 and tables of measurements published by Professor Baird in his great and invaluable 

 works on these two classes of the North American Vertebrata, contained in Volumes 

 VIII and IX of the Beports of the Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys. They 

 show not only, to a considerable extent, the geographical range of the different spe- 

 cies, but their variation in size and proportion at different localities, and, when the 

 number is large from one locality, the variation at single localities. The possession of 

 these tables and his accompanying minute descriptions is next to having in hand the 

 specimens themselves. It is very much to be regretted that so small a proportion of 

 our natural history descriptions have been written with this great care and minuteucs3 

 of detail. 



