small AlammaU from Djarkent. 565 



This water-shrew is very like the N.fodiens of Northern 

 Europe, but would seem to be sufficientlj distinguished bj 

 the characters above described. Owing to its long rich fur_, 

 strongly contrasted coloration, and well-marked white caudal 

 fringe it is even more beautiful than most examples of the 

 European animal. 



5. Sorex araneus, Linn. 



Two. " In die Schlucht Narin.^'— W. R. 



Although with rather more prominent front incisors than 

 ordinary araneus, and thus leading on towards the species 

 now to be described, these shrews can be matched in this 

 respect by some Scandinavian specimens, and may therefore 

 be assigned to S. araneus. On the other hand, the shrew of 

 the same group from the Thian-shan should certainly bear a 

 special name. Indeed, I distinguished and named it some 

 years ago, but its description seems never to have been 

 published. 



Sorex asper, sp. n. 



Allied to S. araneus, but the upper incisors and unicuspids 

 much enlarged. 



Colour brown, no tricolor pattern perceptible. Under 

 surface of a summer specimen also brown, little lighter than 

 the upper colour ; of a winter specimen hoary grey with 

 slaty bases to the hairs. Fur of summer specimen 4, of 

 winter specimen 7*5 mm. in length. 



Skull like that of S. araneus, but the muzzle longer. 



Anterior upper incisors large, heavy, much projected 

 forwards, their upper front profile starting forwards nearly 

 horizontally from the bone supporting them, instead of beino- 

 contiuued in the same slanting line as the profile of the 

 bone. Unicusjjids very large and heavy, the combined 

 length of the first three 2*3 mm., their breadth especially 

 great in proportion. Molars not larger than in araneus, so 

 that the muzzle is longer in proportion than in that species. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesii) : — - 



Head and body G5 mm.; tail 37; hind foot 12; 

 ear 8. 



Skull: condylo-basal length 19*5 ; condylo^incisive leno-th 

 20"2; breadth across brain-case 9-6 ; tooth-series 9 ; front of 

 i' to front of />* 4'5. 



Nab. Thian-shan. Type from the Tekes Valley, others 

 from Kok-su. 



r^/pe. Adult male. B.M. no. 5. 4. 8. 2. Collected 



