66 



INSECTIVORA 



the liind feet enlarged and turned somewhat outward ; in one 

 species a longitudinal ridge of stiiit'ened hairs along under surface 

 of tail ; ear small, completely hidden in the fur, the meatus 

 closed by two valves, one of which lies on inner surface of 

 antitragus, the other on inner surface of conch ; habits aquatic. 



Semarlcs. — In its external form, slight reduction in the 

 number of teeth, and in the noticeably prehensory adaptation 

 of the upper incisors and unicuspids, the members of the genus 

 Neomys are distinctly more specialized than the species of Soreoc. 

 They retain, however, the primitive form of the third lower 

 molar and lower premolar characteristic of Sorcx, these teeth 

 showing no tendency to the more highly modified structure 

 found in Crocidura. The members of the genus Neomi/s are the 

 only Europenri shrews specially adapted to aquatic life. They 

 are at once recognizable Iw their dense, velvety fur, and large, 

 distinctly fringed hind feet. In the commonest and most widely 

 distributed species the tail is provided with a keel of stiffened 

 hairs, a character not found in any other Eurojiean shrew. 



KEY TO THE EUROPEAN FORMS OF NEOMYS. 



Tail with median keel of stiffened hairs extending 



entire length of under surface N. fodicns, p. 66. 



Uuderparts whitish or yellowish, occasionally 

 brownish (Continental Europe except Iberian 



Peninsula) S.f.fodienx, p. 69. 



Underparts usually brownish (England and Scot- 

 land) y.f- Mcoloi; p. 73. 



Tail without keel. 



Length of tail 47 to 53 mm. ; hind foot 16 to 



17 mm. (Alps and Pyrenees) N. milleri, p. 78. 



Length of tail 55 to 61 mm.; hind foot 16-8 to 



18 mm. (Northern and central Spain) K. anomalus, p. 81. 



NEOMYS FODIENS Schreber. 



(Synonymy under subspecies.) 



Gco[irapMral (listribiition. — From Norway and England to the 

 Pyrenees, northern Italy and western Siberia. ISTorthern and 

 eastern limits of range not known. 



Diagmi^is. — Tail with keel always present ; feet Aery con- 

 spicuously fringed ; hind foot usually more than 1 7 mm. ; lachrj'- 

 mal foramen (.)pening over ^^osterior half of m^ ; anterior upper 

 incisor robust. 



E.iternal cliar(tcfert<. — Fur very dense, its depth at middle of 

 back about 6 inm. in summer, 9 mm. in winter, its texture soft 

 and velvety, this ji'^i'ti^-'idarly noticeable on underparts : a 

 few longer hairs usually present on flanks and rump. Eyes 

 small and inconspicuous ; ears completely hidden by the fur. 

 Muzzle less slender than in Sorea- araneiis, the median ridge on 

 upper lip with distinct wart-like outgrowth which tits between 

 points of ujjper incisors when mouth is closed. Feet larger than 



