Mr. E. Blytli on the Indian species of Shrews. 23 



Number of the Annals for August of the present year. Both 

 are from Nepal. 



I shall now proceed to give a description of a Shrew from 

 Mr. Cuming's collection, received by him from Ceylon, where 

 it was captured by Mr. Thwaites. 



Forms, those of a typical Sorex : teeth white, the lower ones 

 rather less curved at their points than usual. Odoriferous glands 

 considerably developed ; ears rather large ; tail nearly as long 

 as the head and body, tapering uniformly throughout, appearing 

 naked and finely annulated, but, on being examined with a lens, 

 is seen to be furnished with extremely fine short hairs, besides 

 the usual long ones, which in this species are very fine and thinly 

 set, and not extending for more than one-third the length of the 

 tail. Upper surface of the feet furnished with very small thinly 

 set hairs, appearing almost naked without the assistance of a 

 lens ; soles of the feet perfectly naked. Fur rather long, being 

 as much as 2'", which is nearly equal to that of the large S. ceru- 

 LESCENs; dark, close to the skin, but for the greater part of its 

 length of a grizzled brown, of about the same hue as in Corsiua 

 VULGARIS of Europe; beneath decidedly paler, with a yellowish 

 cast and with a slight silvery gloss. All the naked parts dirty 

 yellowish-brown; upper surface of the tail browner. Upper 

 incisors (projecting from the gum) barely 1'"; lower ones 1^'". 

 Length of head and body 2" 4'"; head lOi'" ; tad 1" 11'"; fore- 

 foot and claws 3^'" ; hind-foot and claws 6'". The above was 

 taken from a male, evidently adult ; and a female having the 

 mammae considerably developed, but with the teeth exhibiting 

 some signs of youth, does not differ except iu having the tail 

 a little more slender, slightly quadrangular, and rather more 

 hairy. Colour of the upper parts darker, and of a slaty hue, 

 very slightly tinged with brown ; below, grey with a silvery cast, 

 without any tinge of yellow or rufous. Several others, obviously 

 immature, resembled this female in colour, but were somewhat 

 smaller. The only other species from Ceylon, in Mr. Cuming^s 

 collection, is the S. moxtanus of Kelaart. 



As the species here described appears to differ very con- 

 siderably from the other small species found in India, I shall 

 propose calling it Sorex IIorsfieldh, as a just tribute to that 

 well-known naturalist. — R. F. T.] 



Another form of white-toothed Shrew, with thick and tapering 

 tail having scattered long hairs upon it, is exemplified by 



Feroculus, Kelaart, Teeth small ; the upper quasi-incisors 

 shorter and less strongly hooked than in restricted Sorex, with 

 the posterior spur large; the lower quasi-incisors serrated, 

 showing two depressions, and therefore a row of three coronal 



