helonging to the Genus Crocidura. 523 



The skulls of the two spirit-specimens from the type- 

 locality give the following measurements : — 



$ ? 



(teeth uiiwom). (teeth worn). 



mm. mm. 



Condylo-incisive length 293 29*5 



Greatest breadtli 11-7 12 



Length of palate 129 13-3 



Postpalatal length 12-4 12-1 



Greatest maxillary bi-eadth 9'5 9'5 



Length of upper tooth-row 13'7 136 



There is, then, a certain amount of individual variation, as 

 well as sexual variation in size, and this, combined with tlie 

 great changes in colour which the pelage undergoes, makes 

 the identification of the species a very difficult matter. 



Hab. Gaboon. 



The Gold Coast form, spurreUi, is the only one that might 

 be mistaken for occidentalis, but the colour of the new 

 pelage is never so dark as in the Gaboon species, and the 

 latter has none of the silver-grey speckling so conspicuous 

 in spurrelli. 



(5) Crocidura occidentalis spurrelli.^ Thos. 



Crocidura spurrelli, Thomas, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) vol. vi. p. 427 

 (1910). 



Size rather larger than in occidentalis, but smaller than 

 ma7ini. 



Hair short and close, much shorter and more velvety 

 than in the large Lagos species. 



General colour of unbleached coat dark sepia-brown 

 sprinkled with silvery grey, resulting effect much as in 

 "fuscous^' mixed with "fuscous-black^^; flanks a trifle 

 paler, the tint gradually fading to the greyish buff of the 

 uuderparts. In the bleached condition, just when the new 

 dark fur is appearing, the general colour is very much 

 lighter and redder ("snuff-brown-"), more as in nyans<s ; 

 uuderparts in bleached specimens strongly tinted with 

 brownish buff. Backs of hands and feet brownish. Tail 

 cylindrical, appearing almost naked, clothed with minute 

 blackish-brown hairs, slightly lighter on the ventral surface ; 

 caudal bristles slender and numerous. 



Skull long and narrow, in size about as in n. kivu, much 

 smaller than in manni, interorbital and maxillary region 

 narrow ; brain-case small. Unicuspids broader than in the 

 uyans(E group, more circular in section. 



