520 I^Ir. G. DoUniaii on the African Shreios 



Hab. Lagos, Southern Nigeria. 



The National Collection possesses specimens of manni 

 from the following localities : — Lagos, Abntshi (S.Nigeria), 

 Awka District (S. Nigeria), Asaba (S. Nigeria), Bauchi 

 Province (N. Nigeria), and Nassarawa Province (N. Ni- 

 geria). 



The pelage of this shrew evidently undergoes a consider- 

 able colour-change at certain times ; in the collection are 

 three subadult individuals in which the general colour is 

 dull grey {" mouse-grey "), the slaty bases of the hairs 

 appearing more conspicuous than the brownish tips. This 

 cold grey colour may, of course, be an immature character, 

 but it seems more probable that it represents the true tint 

 of the coat before bleaching has set in — more material is 

 necessary before the point can be definitely settled. 



Crocidura manni is easily recognized by its large size and 

 pale cinnamon-grey or greyish colour. It would seem to be 

 most nearly allied to odorata from the Gaboon. 



Group 3 (odorata and occidentalis). 



Size very larore, large or medium. Colour above either greyish brown or 

 sep'iii-brown, the latter usualh' bleaching to bright reddish or butly 

 brown. Second and third upper uuicuspids about equal in size. 



(3) Crocidura odorata, Leconte. 

 Sorex odoratus, Leconte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. p. 11 (1857). 



Size as large as in manni ; skull long and with narrow 

 interorbital region ; tail less cylindrical. 



The general colour is given by Leconte as " dark cinereous 

 brown above inclining to chestnut, beneath slightly paler.^' 

 The only specimen in the Museum Collection which can be 

 identified with Leconte's species has been preserved in 

 spirit for so long that the colour cannot be accurately 

 described. Backs of hands and feet brownish. Tail less 

 cylindrical, more slender and tapering than in manni, 

 covered entirely with short brownish hairs ; the caudal 

 bristles in this spirit-specimen are not very numerous or 

 conspicuous. 



Skull large, about equal in length to that of manni, but 

 more slender in the interorbital region and with a rather 

 narrower brain-case. 



Dimensions as given by Leconte : — 



"Length 5 inches ; head 1-65; tail 2*6; ear '2.'^ 



Dimensions of spirit-specimen : — 



Head and body 129 mm. ; tail 81 ; hind foot 21 j ear 11. 



