PROCEEDINQS 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Vol. II, pp. 39-40. March 30, 1900 



A NEW SHREW FROM EASTERN TURKESTAN. 



By Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 



On January 10, 1894, Dr. W. L. Abbott collected a small shrew in 

 the jungle east of Maralbashi, near the Yarkand river, eastern Turkes- 

 tan. The specimen represents a Crocidiira smaller than the C. 

 myoides Blanford of Kashmir ^ and strikingly different in color ; but 

 unfortunately its skull has been mislaid or lost. The lack of the skull 

 has hitherto deterred me from describing the species, but a careful re- 

 examination of the specimen shows that its characters are too strongly 

 marked to be ignored. It may be called : 



CROCIDURA LIGNICOLOR sp. nov. 



Type. — Adult female (skin) no. 621 So United States National Mu- 

 seum, collected in jungle east of Maralbashi, eastern Turkestan, near 

 the Yarkand river, January 10, 1894. 



Characters. — Smaller than Crocidura russula and C. myoides., 

 the tail more densely haired and relatively much shorter. Color 

 strongly suggesting that of Mus pachycercus. 



Tail. — The tail is about half as long as head and body, therefore 

 much shorter than in C. russula and C. myoides. It is densely 

 'furred throughout, so that the annulation is completely hidden. In- 

 terpersed with the finer appressed hairs are the usual slender bristles, 

 about 6 mm in length. Pencil distinct, 4 mm long. 



Feet. — The feet are small and slender, both palms and soles 6- 

 tuberculate. Palmar tubercles as in Crocidura russula. Plantar tu- 

 bercles as in C. russula^^ except that the posterior and penultimate on 



> The type was collected at L,eh. The National Museum contains a specimen 

 taken by Dr. Abbott in a pine forest among the mountains of central Kashmir, at 

 an elevation of about 10,000 feet. 



* In C. myoides the tubercles are apparently like those of C. russula, but the 

 soles of the Kashmir specimen are injured. 



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