26 MAMMALS. 



abundant and widely distributed family of the Insecti- 

 vora. The assumed specific distinctions in this family 

 are utterly worthless, and it is at present impossible to 

 characterize the species. The following are the best 

 known. (See Addenda.) 



* Ears large ; auricle directed backwards ; tail about as long as 

 the body ; upper anterior incisors with a second basal hook, 

 and an angular process on the inner side near the point. 



SOREX, 1. 



** Ears small, concealed by the fur ; tail not longer than head ; 

 auricle directed forwards; upper anterior incisor without 

 above-mentioned hook and process. . . BLARINA, 2. 



/. SOREXf Linnaeus. SHREWS. 



1. 5. platyrhinus, (Dek.) Wagner. COMMON SHREW. 

 A small, long-nosed, large-eared species, of a chestnut 

 color, having the tail much shorter than head and body; 

 said to be abundant in the Eastern and Middle States. 



2. S. cooper/, Bach. WESTERN SHREW. Still smaller; 

 color light chestnut; tail nearly as long as head and 

 body. New England, N. and W. 



2. BLARINA, Gray. SHORT-TAILED SHREWS. 

 1. B. brevicauda, (Say) Baird. MOLE SHREW. Tail 

 less than one-third length of head and body; color 

 brownish gray. E. U. S., the common species. 



OEDEE E.-EODESTIA. 



(The Rodents or GUres.) 



FAMILY X. SCIURID^E. 



(The Squirrels.) 



Rodents with the molars {-".J (upper anterior often 

 deciduous), the last 4 of nearly equal size ; a distinct 

 postorbital process of frontal bone; tibia and fibula 



