MAMMALS SORICIXAE NEOSOREX NAVIGATOR. 11 



NEOSOREX, Baird. 



Ears rather short, partly furred on both surfaces ; valvular. 



Dental formula : Anterior incisors, f; lateral incisors and premolars, ^ ; molars, ^ = 32 ; 

 upper anterior incisor with a well defined hook at the base ; lower one with two tubercles and 

 a notch ; first two upper teeth or premolars equal, and larger than the fourth, which exceeds 

 the third and equals the basal hook of the anterior one ; the fifth smallest ; the first, and half 

 the second lower lateral teeth placed above the base of the incisor ; all the teeth colored at the 

 tip ; lower angular process of lower jaw very long and slender ; tail as long, or longer than the 

 body, with a terminal pencil ; hairs uniform in length, except at tip ; feet well developed, with 

 a fringe of stiff bristles. 



The genus bears a close resemblance to Crossopus, but differs in the much more slender 

 muzzle, in having one more molar and two tubercles on the anterior lower incisor instead of one. 

 With the feet similarly constituted, the tail is destitute of the median line of longer hairs. 

 The very large and highly fringed feet distinguish it from Sorex. But one species, and that 

 from the Pacific slope, has been determined, though it is possible that S. Jimbripes of Bachman 

 belongs to it. 



NEOSOREX NAVIGATOR, Cooper, Mss. 



SP. CHARACTER. External ears small, hidden in the fur, which greatly exceeds them in length ; longest hairs of the body 

 a little over two lines long ; feet and hands very large and broad ; palms and soles, with the fingers and toes, margined by 

 a fringe of ciliated bristles ; the fore feet contained a little more than twice in the hinder, which are nearly as long as the 

 skull ; tail much longer than the head and body, (almost one-half longer,) with a distinct pencil at the tip ; third lateral 

 tooth smaller than the fourth ; a very slight subterminal lobe to the anterior upper incisors ; color above, dark sooty brown, 

 mixed with hoary ; beneath, greyish white ; tail, silvery white beneath ; length of head and body, 2-^ ; tail, 3. 



Body rather thick and full ; feet very large, broad, and long, entirely naked beneath, covered 

 above with short, stiff hairs ; the soles and palms margined with a fringe of stiff parallel ciliated 

 bristles, longest on the soles ; the fingers and toes all with a separate ciliation of shorter hairs ; 

 the soles are occupied by a pavement of crowded, minute scale-like tubercles, extending from 

 the heel to the bases of the toes ; hind feet about twice the length of the fore-feet ; the ears are 

 small, and in the dried skin very inconspicuous ; the whiskers are numerous, the longest reach 

 ing back to the arms ; the tail is longer than the body, tetragonal in the dried animal, a pointed 

 pencil of hairs at the tip ; the hairs elsewhere rather short, but close pressed and of uniform 

 length everywhere. 



The fur is long, and very full and soft ; its color above and on the sides is a mixed, hoary 

 and smoky brown ; the hairs being lead color for most of their length from the base, grayish 

 towards tip, then smoky brown, sometimes dark brown at the end. Intermixed are longer 

 hairs, black, with grayish tips. The under parts are of a dull grayish-white, with a tinge of 

 brownish yellow, in strong contrast with the color of the back and sides. The feet, with the 

 fingers, are of a mixed brown and gray, except on the inner edge, where they are colored like 

 the belly. The tail is like the back, except on the under surface, where it is of a sharply- 

 defined whitish, like the belly. 



