CROCIDURA 



89 



Colour. — UpjDer parts varying from a slaty drab to dull 

 russet, the hairs with a slight metallic gloss and with silvery 

 reflections, which in certain lights produce an evident eftect of 

 fine speckling. Underparts and inner surface of limbs buffy 

 white, dulled to a varying degree by the slaty under colour, the 

 chin and throat often suff'used with cream-buff. Line of 

 demarcation sharply defined, extending just below ear and eye 

 and alongside of muzzle to middle of pad. The two extremes of 

 colour probably represent ill-defined dichromatic phases. Most 

 of the specimens examined are in some degree intermediate. 

 Feet dull whitish, often irregularly clouded with drab. Tail 

 sharply bicolor, whitish below, concolor with back above, the 

 longer hairs silvery grey. 



SJculI. — The skull is slightly larger than that of Sorex araneus 

 and noticeably more heavily built, particularly that portion 

 lying in front of brain-case, all of which is both broadened and 

 deepened, so that the general outline tapers less consjiicuously 

 from behind forward, whether skull is viewed from above or 

 from the side. Brain-case less well marked off from interorbital 

 region than in the European species of Sorex and Neomys, its 

 main sutures closing earl}^ in life. Brain-case 

 slighth^ longer than broad, its posterior out- /^ " — -~~^ 

 line rounded but broken by the slightly U^s^i^-i.^'^^^^r'p*^ 

 projecting points of the condyles, its antero- 

 external border straight, sharply angled in 

 front ; sagittal crest low but evident in adult 

 skulls, meeting the complete lambdoid crests 

 posteriorly. Depth of brain-case at middle 

 slightly but constantly less than half greatest 

 breadth (see tig. 20, page 100). Dorsal profile 

 with a slight concavity at front of brain-case 

 and slight convexity over middle of rostrum. 

 Nares squarely truncate posteriorly, the crotiav^aieucodon. 

 lateral wall abruptly angled near middle. Nat. size. 



Anteorbital foramen relatively smaller than in 

 Sorex araneus, and region between it and edge of alveolus dis- 

 tinctly wider. Lachrymal foramen over metastyle of m'^. Plate 

 forming outer wall of anteorbital canal nearly three times as wide 

 as lachrymal foramen. Angular shelf-like region over posterior 

 molars broader and more prominent than in the European species 

 of Sorex, but rudimentary zygomatic process of maxillary reduced 

 to the merest trace. Mesopterygoid fossa as in Sorex araneus ; 

 floor of brain- case between tympanic bones narrower and with 

 distinct median ridge. 



Teeth. — Dentition noticeably heavier than in the European 

 species of Sorex and Neomys, the difference in general aspect 

 heightened by the absence of brown colouring matter on points • 

 of cusps. Anterior upper incisor with main cusp long and 

 slender, abruptly hooked downward ; basal lobe low and 



