I 



belonging to the Gemu Crocidura. 199 



Grounp 22 (dolichura). 



Size medium or very sraftU. Colour above dark brownish red, gi'eyi.sh, 

 or blackish. Caudal bristle-hairs almost entirely absent. 



(117) Crocidura dolichura, Pet. 

 Crocidura dolichura, Peters, MB. Akad. Berlin, p. -47.5 (1876). 



A fairly small species with very long tail^ caudal bristle- 

 liairs almost entirely absent. 



Size of body small ; tail exceptionally long, about 80 mm. 

 in length. 



Colour slate-grey above, gradually fading on the flanks to 

 the greyish tint of the belly, which is only a shade lighter 

 than on the back. Backs of hands and feet dirty white or 

 brownish ; claws of fore and hind feet about equal. Tail 

 very long, cylindrical, and appearing almost naked, but 

 covered with very short brown hairs, rather darker above 

 than below; caudal bristles almost absent, a few situated, at 

 the extreme root of the tail. 



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



Head and body 63 mm. ; tail 80 ; hind foot 14 (c. u.) ; 

 ear 9. 



Skull : length of upper tooth-row 7 9. 



Hab. Bonjongo, Cameroon s. 



In the ^Museum Collection there are two spirit-specimens 

 from the Cameroons which may be referred to this species ; 

 the following are the flesh-dimensions of these specimens : — 

 Head and body 59, 60 mm. ; tail 84, 78 ; hind foot 13, 132 

 (s. u.) ; ear 8, 8. 



The skull of one specimen having been taken out, it is 

 possible to give the following dimensions : — 



Condylo-incisive length 20 ; greatest breadth 8*6 ; least 

 interorbital breadth 4-2 ; length of palate 7*8 ; postpalatal 

 iength 9*2 ; greatest width across maxillary region 5 7; 

 median depth of brain-case 5 1 ; length of upper tooth- 

 row 8-0. 



The skull is smaller than that of the following species; 

 brain-case narrow and high, muzzle not tapering so suddenly. 

 Teeth small, second and third u[)per unicuspids about equal 

 in size and roughly circular in section, much broader than 

 those oi muurisca ; cingula exceptionally prominent. 



Externally this shrew may be at once recognised by its 

 extremely long and apparently hairless tail. The great 

 length of the tail readily separates it from the other members 

 of this group. 



14* 



