20 Mr. E. Blyth on the Indian species of Shrews. 



10. S. PYGMiEUS, Hodgson, Ann. & Mag, N. H. xv. 269 ; nee 

 S. pygmmis, Pallas ; if the small European species referred by 

 Schiuz, Riippell, and others to the latter be correctly identilied. 

 S. PYGM.EUS, Pallas, apud Schinz, is placed by the latter zoologist 

 araons; the species Nvith brown-tipped teeth, and in the division 

 of them which corresponds to Corsira, Gray ; and the descrip- 

 tion — Cauda basi constricta ', auriculis brevissimis — will certainly 

 not apply either to Mr. Hodgson's animal, or to various other 

 minute Indian Shrews hitherto undistinguished from it ; and 

 therefore Mr. Hodgson's name for the present species may 

 stand, as he states the structure of the animal to be typical*. 

 The following is his description: — Snout to vent, less 2 in.; 

 tail Y-f-Q in. ; head \j^ in. ; palma^^ in. ; planta f in. Structure 

 typical, save that no odorous glands were detected, nor had the 

 animal any musky smell. Colour sooty-brown, paler below. 

 Naked parts of a dusky fleshy hue. Hab. Nepal, where it 

 "dwells in coppices and fields, and is rarely found in houses.'^ 



Of numerous species of minute Sorices from various localities, 

 the only one which approaches to the above description is a 

 species which we have just procured in Calcutta, curiously 

 enough, while engaged in the investigation of this particular 

 group. It may be termed 



11. S. MELAXODOX, uobis, u. s. : from the remarkable colour- 

 ing of its teeth, which are piceons and xchite-tipped ; exhibiting 

 thus the reverse coloration of those of Corsira, &c. Length 

 of adult female 1^ in. ; tail \~ in. ; hind-foot and claws -^^ in. 

 Colour uniform fuscous, without any rufous tinge ; scarcely 

 paler below ; the feet and tail subnude, save the usual scattered 

 fine long hairs upon the latter, and with the ears and snout of a 

 livid colour, paler below ; claws white, and distinctly visible. 



Procured by one of our Museum assistants in his own house, 

 where he states that he has observed and can probably obtain 

 others. 



12. S. MICRONYX, nobis, n. s. Length of head and body 

 1| in.; tail somewhat exceeding 1^ in. ; hind-foot and claws ^| 

 in. ; skull ^ in. Teeth white. Claws with fine haii's impending 

 them, and so minute as to be scarcely discernible without a 

 lens. Fur of a paler and more chestnut-brown than any other 

 of these minute species examined, and also more silvery below. 



* Since writing the above, we have seen the figure of Sorex pygm^eus, 

 Pallas and Laxman (S. minutus, L., S. exilis, Gmehn, and S. minimus, 

 Geoff.); in the Act. Acad. Leop. vol. xiii. pt. 2. t. 25 (1827), and the 

 species is widely different from all the pigmy Shrews here described, and 

 is evidentlv a Corsira. 



