514. On the African Shreios belonging to Crocidura. 



Mt. Kenia, is considerably brighter in colour and possesses 

 a slightly flatter skull, with the secoud upper unicuspid 

 smaller in size. 



(103) Crocidura alpina, Hell. 



Crocidura alpina, Heller, Smith. Misc. Coll. vol. lvi. no. 9, p. 5 

 (1910). 



Closely allied to allex, from Naivasha, but with flatter 

 skull and the second upper unicuspid rather smaller. 



General dimensions much as in allex. 



Colour of upper parts, in the new unbleached pelage, 

 yellowish brown, near " Prout's brown," gradually changing 

 on the flanks to the buffy grey of the ventral surface. In 

 the old bleached coat the colour is very much more orange. 

 Underparts grey washed with pinkish buff. Backs of hands 

 and feet pale brownish. Tail covered with very short fine 

 hairs, dark brownish above, paler below, but not sharply 

 bicoloured ; bristle-hairs not very numerous or conspicuous. 



Skull shorter and flatter than in allex, but not as flat as 

 in the bicolor group ; second upper unicuspid relatively 

 smaller. 



Dimensions of the type (as given by Heller) : — 



Head and body 65 mm. ; tail 39 ; hind foot 11. 



Skull : condylo-incisive length 16'2 ; greatest breadth 7*5 ; 

 depth of skull at bullae 46 ; length of upper tooth-row 7. 



In the Museum Collection there is a specimen from Solai, 

 Kenya (8000 feet), which undoubtedly represents this species; 

 the flesh dimensions are given as : — Head and body 63 mm. ; 

 tail 41 ; hind foot 11 ; ear 8. 



Hab. West slope of Mt. Kenva, British East Africa. 

 Altitude 10,000 feet. 



Type. Adult female. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 163089. 



The brighter colouring, rather smaller and flatter skull, 

 and smaller size of the second upper unicuspid distinguish 

 this Kenya shrew from the Naivasha allex. The members 

 of the bicolor group are at once distinguished from alpina by 

 their shorter fur, flatter skulls, and much greyer colour. 



[To be continued.] 



