belonging to the Genus Crot^iclura. 



71 



Tijpe. Adult female. B.M. no. 97. 10. 1. 50. Collected 

 in July 1896 by Mr. A. Whyte^ and presented to the National 

 Collection by Sir Harry Johnston. 



The much darker colour of the back, belly, and extre- 

 mities, and dark ventral surface of the tail, and longer brain- 

 case distinguish this Nyika form from the Beira shrew. 



(27) Crocidura hirta, Pet. 



Crocidura hirta, Peters, Heis. Mossauib., Saug. p. 78, pi. xviii. fi^. 2 



(1852). 

 Crocidura caneseens, Peters, Reis. Mossainb., Saug. p. S3, pi. xviii. 



%. 4(1852). 

 Crocidura nnnellata, Peters, Reis. Mossamb., Saug. p. S5, pi. xviii. 



fig. 5 (1852). 



A medium-sized cinnamon-brown species. 



Size smaller than in flavescens or beirce. 



Colour, in unbleached state, pale slaty grey overlaid with 

 wavy rufous markings ("mouse-grey" washed with "snuff- 

 brown^^ and "drab"). In the worn pelage the colour is 

 much redder, the grey of the hair- bases being completely 

 liidden and the general colour bright yellowish brown 

 (" russet "). The tint changes on the flanks rather abruptly 

 into the greyish Avhite of the ventral surface. In the 

 unbleached and immature pelage the transition is much more 

 gradual, the ventral surface being considerably darker and 

 more slaty, the creamy-white hair-tips not so dominant as in 

 the worn coat. Lateral gland white. Backs of hands and 

 feet dirty white or brownish. Tail of medium length and 

 rather coarsely haired, brown above, paler below ; bristle- 

 hairs fairly numerous, evenly distributed over basal two- 

 thirds, whitish in colour. 



Skull smaller than that of beirce, with flatter and narrower 

 biain-case and smaller teeth ; second and third upper 

 unicuspids about equal in size. 



Dimensions (as given by Peters) : — 



Hab. Tette, Portuguese East Africa. 



In the British Museum there is a very large series of 



