522 



Mr. G. Dollman on the African Shrews 



pelage described above. In the Museum Collection there 

 are some four specimens from the Gaboon, two in spirit 

 and two skins ; the latter are both in the red pelage. In 

 a series of skins from the Ja River, Southern Cameroons, 

 we find specimens both in the red and the dark new pelage ; 

 the contrast is so striking that a description of this animal 

 would not be satisfactory without dealing with both 

 phases. 



The dimensions given by Pucheran are as follows : — 

 Length of head and body (" le lien passant sur le dos ") 

 134 mm., (" directemeut prise") 82 ; tail 50. 



The Gaboon spirit-specimens in the collection have the 

 following dimensions : — 



The Cameroon series, which may also be accepted as 

 occidentalis, present the following measurements : — 



These measurements were all taken by the collector from 

 the flesh ; it will be seen that there is a very marked average 

 difference in size between the two sexes, the males being 

 considerably larger. This sexual variation is also exhibited 

 in the skulls, as will be seen from the following figures : — 



Males Females 



(teeth unworn). (teeth worn). 



mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. 



Condylo-incisive length 29 28-9 . . 26-5 27-1 27-7 



Greatest breadth 11-5 11-9 .. ll'S 11-3 11-2 



Length of palate 13 13 13-1 11-7 11-7 11-8 



Postpalatal leno-th 12 12 .. 11-3 11-9 12 



Greatest maxillary breadth . . 9-6 8-8 9 8-2 8-3 8-5 



Length of upper tooth-row . . IS-.'i 13-4 13-7 12-1 12-2 12-3 



