MAMMALS SORICINAE SOREX PERSON ATUS. 



31 



This is one of the smallest of the American shrews I have yet seen, and almost the least 

 of all North American quadrupeds. The body is very slender ; the snout much elongated ; the 

 ears large, though not exceeding the fur, and more than usually hairy towards the margin of 

 the exterior surface. The feet are moderate, the anterior contained about one and two-third 

 times in the posterior. The tail, measured to the tip, is two-thirds the length of head and 

 body, or two-fifths of the total length from snout to tip of tail ; it is well coated with long 

 appressed hairs, which entirely conceal the vertebrae and form a decided pencil at the tip. The 

 fur is quite short, measuring a little over one line. 



The upper parts and sides are of a light chestnut brown, darkest towards the rump. Beneath, 

 the color is a rusty white. The under surface of the tail and the feet are similar. 



Teeth, |-+ E^ + 5=3. The upper anterior incisor has a well-defined basal hook, not so large 

 as that at the tip of the tooth, and about equal to the third lateral tooth. First two lateral 

 teeth about equal, and considerably larger than the third and fourth, which are about equal ; 

 the fifth is smallest, as usual, but can be seen from outside. Lower incisor with three well 

 defined serrations. Tip of all the teeth chestnut. 



Measurements. (First four taken before skinning.) 



This species is closely allied to S. platyrhinus, although it is smaller ; the tail and hind 

 feet shorter in proportion. (See this species for further distinctions.) 



It is with much pleasure that I am enabled to identify the hitherto obscure Sorex personatus 

 of Geoffrey. A comparison of the specimen before me not only with the description, but with 

 the beautiful figure given in Guerin's Magazin de Zoologie, 1833, shows a much more than 

 usual agreement between the two in color, shape, dimensions, &c. The original specimen was 

 collected in some one of the Atlantic States by Milbert, probably somewhere in the south ; the 

 precise locality is not specified by Geoffrey. 



In the absence of specimens from the southern States of this form of shrews, I cannot speak 

 very confidently ; but I have little doubt that Sorex longirostris of Dr. Bachman is a synonym 

 of this species. The dimensions and other characteristics as given, agree perfectly, especially 

 in the very small size, (1.88 inches,) rather short tail, (1 inch,) and very small hind feet, (only 

 0.38 of an inch.) It is true that Bachman calls S. cooperi the smallest species, but he at the 

 same time gives to it the same length of body, a longer tail, (1.88 inches,) and longer hind 

 feet, (0.44 inches.) The figure of S. longirostris , in the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy, is 

 much longer than as described, (2.25 inches,) from which I infer that the article on the spe- 



