88 



INSECTIVORA 



CROCIDURA LEUCODON Hermann. 



1780. Soirx leucodon Hermanu in Zimniermann, Geogr. Gesch., ii, 



p. 382 Cvicinity of Strassburg, Germany). 



1781. Sorcx leucodon Hermann in Schreber, Saugtbiere, pi. clix. 



1782. Sor[ex] leucodon Hermann, Tabula Affinitatum Animalium, p. 79 



(footnote). 

 1792. Sorcx alhipes Kerr, Anim. Kingd., p. 208 (based on Pennant's account 



of S. Ieucodo7i Hermann). 

 1832. Croc[idura] leucodon Wagler, Isis, p. 275. 



1857. Crocidura leucodon Blasius, Siiugetbiere Deutscblands, p. 140. 

 1869. Leucodon niicrourus Fatio, Faune Vert. Suisse, i, p. 173 (Substitute 



for leucodon). 

 1897. [Crocidurci] leucodus Schulze, Mammalia Europsea, p. 18 (Substitute 



for leucodon). 

 1910. Crocidura russula leucodon Trouessart, Faune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 44. 



TyjK' locallfj/. — Vicinity of Strassburg, Germany. 



Oeograpliical distribution. — Central Europe, from Belgium to 

 Hungary ; south into Italy. Not known from the Iberian 

 Peninsula. 



Diagnosis. — Size large (among the European species) ; hind 

 foot, 1 1 to 13 mm. ; condylobasal length of skull, 18-4 to 20 mm. ; 

 upper tooth-row, 8 "8 to 9*0 mm. ; tail short, its actual length 

 28 to 38 mm., its ratio to head and body usually ranging from 

 38 to 43 ; skull with brain-case noticeably depressed, its height 

 less than half its width ; large upper premolar with antero- 

 external cusp rather large, its height usually greater than that 

 of first unicuspid ; colour of underparts whitish, strongly con- 

 trasted with rather slaty brown of back, the line of demarcation 

 along sides well defined. 



External characters. — Fur shorter and more dense than in 

 Sorcc araneus, the length of hairs at middle of back about 

 3 • 5 mm. in summer, 5 mm. in winter, its texture not .specially 

 modified ; a few slightly elongated hairs (8 mm.) on flanks and 

 across rump. Eyes small and inconspicuous ; ears small but 

 rising conspicuously above fur, the two well developed valves a 

 conspicuous feature of the ear in freshly killed specimens. Feet 

 not peculiar in form ; less slender than in Sorcx araneus, finely 

 pubescent on dorsal surface and on lateral portions of posterior 

 half of sole ; fingers proportioned as in S. araneus, but graduation 

 less, especially in hind foot ; pads 6-6, those on palm distinct 

 though somewhat crowded, the surface of palms and soles finely 

 rugose between the pads. Tail less slender than in Sorcx and 

 Neomi/s, nearly terete or with under side somewhat flattened, 

 its length equal to about half that of head and body, its hairs of 

 two kinds : (a) finely appressed hairs less than 1 mm. in length, 

 nearly concealing the annulations and forming a very slight 

 pencil ; and (h) loosely spreading hairs about 5 mm. long, rather 

 thickly sprinkled among the others ; annulation ill-defined, 

 about 35 to the centimeter at middle. Mamma?, i 3 — 3 = 6. 



