124 SORICID^— NEOMYS 



mile, and was repeatedly surprised to see what a direct course 

 the shrews could make for long distances under the surface." 



In Ireland the position of the Pygmy Shrew is comparable 

 to that of the Irish Stoat, in that it is the sole representative 

 of its genus ; while in England, on the contrary, there are two 

 land-shrews and the Stoat and Weasel, two pairs of animals 

 which differ considerably in size, and evidently subsist for the 

 most part on prey corresponding to their respective strength. 



When once known, the general appearance and colour of the 

 Pygmy Shrew are easily recognised ; but for those who have 

 not previously met with it, the most useful characters are the 

 long hairy tail, reaching a length equal to about two-thirds of 

 that of the head and body, as against only about one-half in 

 the Common Shrew, and the absence of a tricoloured pelt. 

 The size of the hind feet is absolutely distinctive, and any 

 shrew in which these reach or exceed a length of 1 2 mm. may 

 be set down as of the larger species. 



Genus NEOMYS. 



{Sorex of old writers, but not in Linnreus.) 



1829. Neomys, Jakob Kaiip, System der Europiiischen Thienvelt, i., 117 (not Neo?nys 

 of Bravard, 1848-1852 = Theridomysj not Neomys of Gray, 1873 — ^ rodent); 

 Thomas, Zoologist^ 1898, 100 and 102 ; based on Sorex daubentonii of Erxleben = 

 5.y<?^zV«j of Schreber. 



1829, Leucorrhynchus, Jakob Kaup, op. cil., 118; based on Sorex lineatus 



oi GQoiixoy = S.fodie?is ol Schreber, and S. leucodon oi Hermann in Zimmermann 



= Crocidura leucodon. 

 1829. Hydrogale, Jakob Kaup, op. cit, 123 (not Hydrogale of Pomel, 1 848 = i'^'r^*' 



fimbripes of Bachman ; not Hydrogale of Gray, 1865, a carnivore) ; based on 



Sorex reniifer of G&oHroy = S./odiens of Schreber. 

 1832. Crossopus, J. Wagler, Oken's Ists (Jena), 275 ; based on Sorex fodiens of 



Schreber. 

 1835. Hydrosorex (part), G. L. Duvernoy, Mem. Soc. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. (Strass- 



burg), 17 and 33, pi. i., figs. 2 and ib \ pi. ii., figs. 4 and 5 ; pi. iii., figs, i, 7, 8, 



17th June and 2nd December 1834; based on Sorex fodiens (description) + 5". 



araneus (fig. of skull) and S. tetragonurus— S. araneus tetragonurus. 

 1835. Amphisorex, G. L. Duvernoy, op. cit.^ 23, pi. i., fig. \bj pi ii., fig. 6 ; pi. iii., 



figs. 3 and 9 ; based on Sorex hermanni of T>\i\tvnoy = Neomys fodiens. 

 1838. Hydrosorex, G. L. Duvernoy, LInstitut (Paris), vi., 226, No. 112, April ; and 



Mhn. Soc. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. (Strassburg), Suppl., 4, pi. iii., figs, i and 8, 30th 



January 1838 ; based on H. hermanni of Duvernoy, S. fodiens of L. Gmelin, 



.S*. carinatus of Hermann, 6". daubentonii of Erxleben, S. remifer of Geoffroy, and 



.S". lineatus of Geoffroy, 2l\\ = S. fodiens. 



