6,0 SORECID^E. 



the body ; feet" and claws pale j fur short, smooth, delicately soft, closely 

 adpressed. 



Length, head and body, 3J inches ; tail, 1 \ ; hind foot, f ths. 



This shrew is very common in Sikim, and also occurs in Nepal. I 

 found many dead on the roads at Darjeeling without any apparent injury. 

 The same has been noticed of the common shrew of England, and no 

 satisfactory explanation has been given. An allied species from Ceylon 

 has been named Corsira newera-ellia by Kelaart, which ought perhaps 

 to occur on the Neelgherries. 



Gen. CROSSOPUS, Wagner. 



Syn. Hydrosorex, Duvernoy. 



Char. The hind feet large and ciliated ; tail compressed and ciliated 

 beneath towards its extremity ; otherwise as in the last. 

 The water-shrew of Europe is the type of this division. 



83. Crossopus himalaicus. 



GRAY, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842, 261. Oong lagniyu, Lepch. 



Choopitsi, Bhot. 



THE HIMALAYAN WATER-SHREW. 



Descr. Fur dark-brown or blackish above, somewhat paler beneath, 

 and rusty-brown on the lower part of the throat and the middle of the 

 belly ; fur rather long, with scattered long white-tipped hairs ; a few on 

 the sides, many on the rump and round the root of the tail j ears very 

 small, hairy, concealed ; tail long, slender, with a brush of hairs at the 

 tip, and ciliated with rigid whitish hairs beneath \ feet distinctly ciliated ; 

 claws very short ; whiskers elongate, brown. 



Length, head and body, 5 inches ; tail, 3J ; hind foot nearly f ths. 



Another measured 6 inches ; tail, 3J ; hind-foot, -^ths. 



I procured this water-shrew at Darjeeling, from the Little Rungeet 

 river, where it is said not to be uncommon, and its aquatic habits are 

 well known to the natives, who distinguish it by a distinct name, signi- 

 fying water-shrew. It is said to kill small fish, tadpoles, water-insects, 

 &c. It is not recorded among Hodgson's collections, though I imagine 

 he must have procured it in Sikim, and probably one of his undescribed 

 species may be referred to this. 



Crossopus fodiens, Pallas, is the well-known water-shrew of Europe ; 

 and there are other species from North America and Japan. 



