72 Mr. G. Dollman on the African Shrews 



specimens from various localities which would appear to 

 represent this species. The colour-change exhibited by these 

 specimens is very remarkable, and for the present I am 

 forced to conclude that hirta, canescens, and annellata are 

 simply colour-phases of a single form. The immature grey 

 coat, in which no rufous tint is present, is that described 

 and figured for canescens. The gradual appearance of the 

 rufous colouring, due to the bleaching of the hair-tips, gives 

 the coat the same general appearance as is described and 

 figured for annellata. Further bleaching results in the 

 lengthening of the reddish hair-tips and complete conceal- 

 ment of the slaty colour of the hair-bases, combined with a 

 gradual lightening of the underparts, contrasting more 

 strongly with the rufous-tinted flanks than in either the 

 grey phase or the condition described as " annellata.'' 1 The 

 dimensions given by Peters for canescens and annellata are 

 as follows : — 



Head and rp .1 a- 3 *• i Length of Greatest 



body. TaiL Hmd foot. gl f ull breadth _ 



mm. mm. mm. mm. mm. 



canescens 80 46 13-5 21 9 



annellata <$ . . 83 52 15 23 9-5 



„ c? . . 90 55 14 22 9-5 



„ $ .. 72 45 14 22 95 



The following are the flesh-dimensions of seven specimens 

 in the Museum Collection : — 



Head and body. Tail. Hind foot. 



mm. mm. mm. 



$ . Tette 87 48 15 



d . Salisbury 90 49 14 



£. „ 80 43 13 



$. „ 82 47 14 



$'. E. Loangwa 75 46 13-5 



S . Katanga 90 53 15 



d . Angola 90 44 15 



Skull-dimensions : — 



$. 6. 2- rf. 



Tette. Mazoe. Loangwa. Angola. 



mm. mm. mm. mm. 



Conclylo-incisive length 21*7 22"8 22-5 237 



Greatest breadth 9'6 98 9-5 10 



Least interorbital breadth .... 4 # 5 4 - 3 4-3 4'5 



Length of palate 8-8 9-6 9-4 9"8 



Postpalatal length 9*3 9'9 10 102 



Greatest maxillary breadth . . 6-7 7"5 7*2 7-5 



Median depth of brain-case . . 5"3 63 5 5-5 



Length of upper tooth-row . . 9-3 10 9-6 10"3 



