236 Mr. 0. Thomas on 



median area and having a perfectly even margin all round. 

 Underside like the male, only paler. 



Expanse^ c? ? > 43 ram. 



Uab. Kina Balu (Borneo). 



I have two males and one female in my collection. It will 

 follow agelastus, but the colour is quite different and also 

 the black termen mnch narrower, whilst below the distinct 

 spots of the catenulated stripe are a marked character. 



XXXVI. — On Shrews from British East Africa. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



The British Museum contains a number of skins and spirit- 

 specimens of shrews from East Africa which have not hitherto 

 been determined, and which prove nearly all to require de- 

 scription as new. The greater part of them have been 

 presented to the National Collection by Dr. J. W. Gregory, 

 Mr. F. J. Jackson, and Dr. and Mrs. Hinde, while isolated 

 specimens have been contributed by Mr. Betton, Prof. 

 Mackinder, Sir H. H. Johnston, Mr. R. J. Cuninghame, and 

 Mr. B. Meinertzhagen, and to all these collectors our thanks 

 are due for the help they have rendered towards an under- 

 standing of ibis most difficult and intricate group. 



The species now dealt with are all true Crocidura, for the 

 Pachyurce in the Museum are too few in number for any 

 opinion to be expressed as to their determination and relation- 

 ships. Of described species of Pachyura the only East- 

 African one is P. leucura, Matsch. 



The follo'VN'ing is a provisional key to the species of Croci- 

 dura that I recognize in our collection: — 



A. Veiy large. Skull* above 27 mm nyunsce. 



B. Smaller. Skull below 25 mm. 

 a. Larger. Skull above 20 mm. 



a^ Tail with numerous long bristles. 



d^. Tail thick basally, tapering. Colour fa-n n or 

 brown, 

 o'. Fawn. Fur about 5 mm. in length on back. 



Skull 23-24 mm mndei. 



b^. Brown. Fur verj- short, about 2*5 mm. on 



the back velutina. 



b^. Tail more or less cylindrical. Colour grey or 

 smoky. 

 a". Larger, skull 22-23 mm. Underside of body 



and tail little lighter than upper fmnosa. 



* From back of condyle to front face of incisors. 



