SOREX 31 



Palate broad anterioi'ly, its width at level of first 

 unicuspid nearly equal to that of tooth. 

 Condylobasal length of skull 18--1 to 19-2 mm.; 



anterior toeth enlarged (Island of Jersey). . . S. a. fretalis, p. 45. 

 Condylobasal length of skull about 17 • 5 mm. ; 

 anterior teeth not enlarged (Jlountains of 



central Spain) S. a. granarius, p. 52. 



Palate narrow anteriorly, its width at level of 

 first unicuspid barely more than half that 

 of tooth. 

 Condylobasal length of skull usually 19 to 20 

 mm.; hind foot usually 13 to 14 "4 mm. 

 (mountain and northern forms). 

 Hind foot 13-6 to 14*4 mm.; colour in 

 summer pelage very dark, the tricolor 

 pattern usually conspicuous (South- 

 western Norway) S. a. bergensis, p. 41. 



Hind foot 13 • to 14 mm. ; colour in summer 

 pelage frequently light and brownish. 

 Back frequently blackish in summer pelage 



(Alps and neighbouring regions) S. a. tetra^ontirus, -p. 4:2. 



Back rarely if ever blackish in summer 



pelage (Pyrenees) S. a. pyrenaicus, p. 44. 



Condylobasal length of skull usually 17 '4 to 

 19 mm. ; hind foot usually 11 to 13 mm. 

 (lowland forms). 

 Underparts blackish, not contrasted with 



back (Charente, Prance) S. a. aantonus, p. 40. 



Underparts greyish or brownish, contrasted 



with back except when latter is also 



brown. 



Colour of sides not distinctly contrasted 



with that of back ; belly heavily 



washed with wood-brown (Plains of 



south-western France) S. a. euronotus, p. 41. 



Colour of sides usually forming distinct 

 contrast with that of back ; belly 

 lightly washed with wood-brown. 

 Average colour darker, the back ranging 

 from bister to a deep blackish 

 brown (Central Europe and Scan- 

 dinavia, except south - western 



Norway) ,S'. a. araneus, p. 35. 



Average colour less dark, the back 

 ranging from hair-brown tinged 

 with bister to seal-brown (Great 

 Britain) : s. a. castaneus, p. 37. 



SOREX ARANEUS Linnajus. 



(Synonymy under subspecies.) 



Geographical distribution. — Northern portions of Europe and 

 Asia from England and Scotland eastward ; exact limits of 

 range unknown ; in western Europe south to central Spain, and 

 central Italv, north to northern Scandinavia. 



Diaijnosia. — Size medium, head and body usually about 

 65-80 mm, the tail 20-35 mm. shorter, condylobasal length of 

 skull, 17 •8-20 mm.; posterior lobe of anterior upper incisor 



